PhD Candidate Shalen Prado awarded Association for Environmental Archaeology (AEA) Small Research Grant

Shalen's doctoral research examines how aspects of human social organization (such as agriculture, settlement patterns and routes of movement) are influenced by the conditions of northern coastal landscapes. "The focus of my investigation is to understand human environmental relationships and dwelling through the lens of human-plant interactions and uses the Picts as a cultural case study through a collaboration with the University of Aberdeen's Northern Picts Project. My research targets durable microbotanical residues (e.g., phytoliths and starch grains) from archaeological sediments, artifacts, and animal teeth to reconstruct the botanical relationships in Pictland".

Shalen carries out much of her research at the McMaster Paleoethnobotanical Research Facility under the direction of Dr. Morell-Hart. Shlaen is also the the principal administrator of McMaster's online microbotanical database: https://macmicrobot.omeka.net.