I am an archaeological anthropologist working on the consequences of collection.

As both a researcher and an educator, I aim to foster greater understanding of how and why archaeology matters in the world. In my writing, I examine the social and political history of archaeology to explore how, why, and to what effect large collections of objects were accumulated in museums. My book project focuses on one case history—Iranian heritage stored in American institutions—theorizing outward from the particulars of heritage diplomacy between the US and Iran to argue for a new model of stewardship. In my teaching, I demonstrate the relevance of archaeology to contemporary life, concentrating on the diverse ways that the material remains of the past are used across cultural, political, and economic domains, with an emphasis on the historical landscapes of St. Louis and the Middle Mississippi Valley. 

I am a Lecturer in Archaeology at Washington University in St. Louis in the Department of Anthropology and serve as the term chair for the Archaeology of Iran sessions at the American Schools of Overseas Research annual meetings. Prior to my present professional roles, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED) in Istanbul, Turkey and earned my PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.

My extensive field experience includes survey projects in Oman, Turkmenistan, and Hungary, as well as excavations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Mississippi. From 2017-2019, I co-produced and edited twenty episodes of Anthropological Airwaves, a podcast that surveys multi-modal and politically-engaged anthropological scholarship. I have also done freelance research, writing, and editing for clients at think tanks, non-profits, and academic presses.