Doctoral Dissertation Research: High Altitude Adaptation

This doctoral dissertation research project investigates human-environment dynamics by examining how land use relates to mobility and group knowledge. The project considers higher altitude environments as well as the economic and social value of natural resources. Examining these dynamics in a broader range of environments advances our understanding of the ways in which human groups become progressively tied to landscapes, resources, and subsistence systems. The project supports student mentoring and training in STEM research. The researchers combine lithic technological, raw material sourcing, and geoarchaeological analyses with ethnographic and geologic data in order to relate the physical properties and geologic histories of the landscape to their use. Previous research has focused on a limited number of landscapes that do not capture the full spectrum of mobility, land uses, and seasonal activities. This research goes beyond tracing stone raw material movement by contextualizing movement of stone tools through the evaluation of stone tool use within the broader lithic, social, and ontological landscapes. 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.