I received my PhD in Archaeology from Indiana University's Department of Anthropology. My research focuses on the study of native copper production and value in the Northern Lake Superior Basin during the Nipissing high paleo-lake level event (4,000-6,000 years ago). I am interested in how the technological organization of metallurgical systems can express the meaning and value that people place on metallurgical materials. I am also interested in the development and spread of pre-modern industries, and the effect these industries had on the people who adopted and developed them. I have conducted field work on various islands and coast lines throughout the Great Lakes-- including Beaver Island, Isle Royale, and the north and south shores of Lake Superior. My theoretical and research interests include: Archaeometallurgy, Technology, Materiality, Network Analysis, GIS, Industrial Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, and Island Archaeology.