About me

Welcome! I am a biological anthropologist studying children. I am primarily interested in understanding how variation in child outcomes arises, particularly in terms of physical growth and development. Beyond this, my research program also covers broader topics across forensic anthropology, evolutionary anthropology, and ethical practices in anthropology. My work integrates studies of past and contemporary populations to better understand the full range of human variation. I have worked with diverse types of data including: dry bones, CT scans, historical records, surveys, focus group discussions, and more. Currently, I am expanding my portfolio to include immune and endocrine biomarkers.

My training is as an osteologist and forensic anthropologist, specializing in juvenile osteology. As a forensic anthropologist, I have worked for the BC Coroner’s Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted police both in the field and in the lab.

More recently, I have been working from evolutionary perspectives with the Evolutionary Demography of Religion project. As part of this project, I led fieldwork in collaboration with the KWDSS and MRC in the Gambia, where I continue to maintain scientific collaborations.

My research practice adheres to Open Science principles wherever possible. I am passionate about using and teaching R for data processing and statistical analysis. Currently, I co-organize Rchaeology, an online community uniting R-using archaeologists from around the world. At Binghamton, I am affiliated with the Data Science TAE.

In my free time, I am an avid trail runner, climber, and all around outdoors enthusiast. I also love spending time with Oreo, my cuddly black lab. Here is a picture of her out on a walk on our way to a conference!