PhD (In Progress), University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY)
Dissertation Working Title: Macrobotanical Evidence of Plant Use and Human-Environment Relatonships from Middle and Late Archaic Sites in the Lower Ohio River Valley. Advisor: George Crothers

MA, Anthropology, University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB, Canada)
Thesis: A typological and technological analysis of stone artifacts from the Magubike archaeological site, Iringa Region, southern Tanzania. Supervisor: Pamela Willoughby

BA, Anthropology cum laude, Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

I am an archaeologist and paleoethnobotanist with research interests ranging from the cultural role of specific plants to broader human-environment relationships in all time periods and places. For my dissertation research, I am analyzing macrobotanical assemblages from several sites in order to explore patterns of plant use and human-environment interactions among Archaic hunter-gatherers in the Lower Ohio River Valley, and how this relates to the emergence of incipient horticulture and plant domestication in the subsequent Early Woodland period within this region.

Before pursuing my PhD, I obtained a BA in anthropology from Arizona State University and MA in the same from the University of Alberta, where my thesis research focused on Middle and Later Stone Age lithic technology at Magubike Rockshelter in Iringa, Tanzania. Originally from southeastern Ohio, archaeology has taken me around the world before bringing me closer to home again. I've participated in archaeological surveys and/or excavations across the US in 12 states as well as abroad in France, Spain, and Tanzania. This experience includes work in both CRM and academic settings.

 

 

2021      Bonzani, R.M., K. Alexander, A. Metz, J. Munizzi, B. Manzano, M. Davidson, G. Farrish, and A. Erhardt.  “Using Deer Stable Isotope Data to Test a Niche Construction Hypothesis for an Increase in Prehistoric Human Maize Consumption in the Eastern Woodlands of the United States.”  Environmental Archaeology.

 

 

2020         Alexander, K. Paleoethnobotany of the Kentucky Green River Archaic: The View from a Bluff-Top Shell Midden. Paper presented at the Kentucky Heritage Council Archaeology Meeting (Bowling Green, KY).

2019         Crothers, G., J.Carlson, K. Stevens, A. Metz, and K. Alexander. Beyond the Big Bend: Julie Stein’s Geoarchaeological Legacy in the Green River of Kentucky. Paper presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archaeology, (Albuquerque, NM).

2018          Alexander, K.  Beyond Woman-the-Gatherer: Engendered Narratives of Agricultural Origins. Paper presented at the 2^nd Annual Kentucky Gender and Women’s Studies Conference (Lexington, KY).

2018          Alexander, K. and A.M. Casserly. Toward a Paleopharmacology of the Kentucky Archaic. Paper presented at the 75^th Annual Southeastern Archaeological Conference (Augusta, GA).

2018          Alexander, K., R. Bonzani, and J. Endonino. Analysis of Botanical Remains from  Grizzly Newt Rockshelter, Eastern Kentucky. Paper presented at the Kentucky Heritage Council Archaeology Conference (Gilbertville, KY).

2018          Alexander, K. and R. Bonzani. Diachronic Trends in Hard Mast Exploitation and Implications for Incipient Horticulture at Cloudsplitter, Eastern Kentucky, USA. Poster presented at the 3^rd Annual Integrated Microscopy Approaches to Archaeobotany workshop, University of Reading (Reading, England).

2018          Hummel, R.,  K. Alexander, and G. Crothers. Initial Timing and Spread of Domesticated Eastern Agricultural Complex Plants. Poster presented at the 82^nd Annual Meeting for the Society of American Archaeology (Washington D.C.).

2018          Stevens, K., K. Alexander, and A. Metz.  New Approaches to Old Questions: Current Research Objectives for the Green River Valley Shell Midden Archaic, Kentucky, USA. Paper presented at the 82^nd Annual Meeting for the Society of American Archaeology (Washington, D.C.).

2017          Stevens, K., J. Carlson, M.D. Parker, K. Alexander, and A. Metz.  Finding a Space/Place for Archaeology in Political Ecology. Workshop presented at the Dimensions of Political Ecology Conference (Lexington, KY).

2010         Alexander, K. Lithic Assemblages from Magubike, Iringa Region, Tanzania. Paper presented at the 18th Annual Richard Frucht Student Conference (Edmonton, AB).

2009        Alexander, K.  Middle Stone Age Lithic Assemblages at Magubike, Iringa Region, Tanzania. Paper presented at the East African Association for Paleontology and Paleoanthropology meeting (Arusha, Tanzania). meeting (Arusha, Tanzania).