Parallel to my archaeological research, I am committed to an active research program on discipline sociopolitics. Archaeologists are increasingly questioning the social construction of archaeological knowledge and the real-world consequences of contemporary practice, from its impact on descendant communities to the roles of researchers themselves. My research documents that strong gender differences persist in the ways that data are disseminated to the archaeological community, largely a result of authorial behavior (rather than overt editorial or reviewer bias). These behaviors are embedded within a deep historical trajectory of gender bias that has provided a barrier to success for postgraduate women, and as a result, the discourse of archaeology has remained predominately controlled by men.
I am committed to combatting the systemic exclusions I document in my research on gender equity by educating and collaborating with students from underrepresented backgrounds. I also am interested in the ethical dimensions of archaeological practice and am a proponent of increasing ethical training for students of archaeology. I recently lead a team of Cornell M.A. students to win the 2018 Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Ethics Bowl (a competition I also won as a graduate student in 2011).