As an archaeologist, I study the lives of past humans by analyzing the material remains they left behind, like artifacts, structures, and art.
Curiosity, observation, and critical thinking skills have helped me to become a good archaeologist. My curiosity to understand human behavior drives me to ask research questions, gather information, and to think critically about past human activities. Observing the world around me is key.
My biggest challenge is finding time and resources to do new research in archaeology.
Understanding the spatial relationship between human activity areas is very important in archaeological research. I use a computer program called ArcGIS to create, manage, analyze, and map all types of data.
I have been working on a research project to gather data from three distinct ecosystems: high-altitude parks, mid-altitude conifer forests, and low-altitude river terraces. Research collected from archaeological sites shows a climatic change 2,000 years ago and reveals how humans adapted.
As a child I was interested in history and science and was constantly asking my parents questions about everything in the world. I also loved digging in the dirt and being outside. Archaeology combines all those interests into one exciting career, and it was an easy choice when I enrolled in college.
