Doctoral Dissertation Research: Long Term Expansion of Societal Networks

This doctoral dissertation project investigates how ancient empires expanded into and governed geographically distant and environmentally varied regions. The research focuses on how states adapt their strategies across different ecological zones to mobilize resources and integrate local populations into their systems. The project addresses larger questions about governance, economy, and frontier dynamics. Through archaeological survey and excavation, ceramic analysis, radiocarbon dating, and archival research, it generates insights into the timing, organization, and labor systems involved in expansion. These findings contribute to comparative studies of frontier administration, offering a more detailed understanding of how states manage peripheral regions. Broader impacts include training undergraduate and graduate students. The project also includes public outreach through school partnerships and community program and shares findings with a range of stakeholders to improve the public's understanding of science and the scientific method. The study's methodological approach advances NSF priorities for investments in biotechnological innovation. The research is guided by two central questions: How do state strategies change in response to different environmental and cultural contexts? And what are the material and social effects of these strategies on local communities? These questions are explored through a combination of archaeological, laboratory, and archival methods that trace long-term changes in production, exchange, and settlement. The research integrates regional survey and excavation with laboratory techniques, including ceramic analysis using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to determine provenance, and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating to establish precise timelines. Together, these approaches offer a detailed view of how the ancient communities reshaped local economies and landscapes over time. The findings will contribute to broader discussions about the material foundations of the interactions between states and frontier societies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.