Our research focus is on the study of socio-ecological systems at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Our theoretical and methodological perspective is broad and comparative, but our main research focus is on ancestral South America with special emphasis on the Atacama Desert, the Andean highlands, and the Amazon tropics during the last 15,000 years. Our research typically involves fieldwork including archaeological survey and excavations but also paleoecological sampling of lakes, wetlands, and other paleoenvironmental records. Recovered samples are studied using a variety of highly specialized and interdisciplinary research methods ranging from zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, morphological and functional ceramic and lithic analyses to archaeometric geochemical raw material characterization, accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating, stable isotopes, radiogenic isotopes, and paleogenomics. Data management and analysis of our results involves constructing databases and geographic information systems and applying various quantitative approaches ranging from descriptive and inferential statistics to fairly sophisticated computational modeling.
Because of the complex nature of the record and landscape transformations produced by people over time, our lab focuses on broad research problems such as the causes and consequences of the transition from foraging to agriculture, institutionalized social inequality, and the onset of the Anthropocene. We strive to produce not only new knowledge but also engagement with broader contemporary debates about social and environmental justice.
Our research approach aims to build bridges that foster the investigation, protection, and promotion of cultural heritage by articulating diverse professionals and students from different backgrounds, disciplines, specialties, institutions, and countries.
In terms of funding, our lab has secured grants from the top funding sources available for archaeological research including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Geographic Society, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation.
Our lab has a well-established record of high-quality output supported by multiple high-impact research articles and dozens of peer-reviewed papers in specialized journals and edited volumes.