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I am an anthropological archaeologist who researches Indigenous landscapes and foodways in the Northeastern United States. My research is primarily situated in Lenapehoking, the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Lenape people. I primarily focus on understanding how the Lenape shaped their landscapes and local environments through their daily practices, with a particular emphasis on foodway practices. My dissertation research focused on understanding how the Lenape made maize their staple food and how their agricultural practices reshaped local landscapes and environments. My current research builds on this by documenting how the Lenape created anthropogenic landscapes throughout the 10,000 plus years they lived in Lenapehoking and understanding how European colonists sought to erase or obscure these practices to claim Lenape land for themselves.

A secondary research concern of mine focuses on archaeological practice and how archaeologists generate data. Rather than conducting traditional archaeological excavations, my research relies on legacy date– or previously excavated archaeological materials and associated archives. I argue using these materials helps to rectify issues surrounding the “curation crisis” in archaeology, in which there is not enough time, money, people, space, or funding to properly curate all of the materials archaeologists excavate. I illustrate through my research how the use of these legacy materials by archaeologists can promote a more sustainable and ethical discipline.

 As a teacher, I emphasize to students the relevance of anthropology, and in particular archaeology, in their lives. Because archaeology is a material-based discipline, I provide students with hands on learning opportunities whenever possible, whether that is through in class labs or experiencing topics of discussion in the real world. I encourage student engagement in the classroom through these tactile learning experiences and student generated discussions. I emphasize that anthropological archaeology is not just the study of the past but of how our modern world came to be.