CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
DR. PAUL SZPAK
Principal Investigator
Ph.D. Western University, 2013
B.A. (Honours) McMaster University, 2007
Paul Szpak is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Canada Research Chair in Archaeological Science at Trent University. As an undergraduate Paul worked at the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory at McMaster University and performed isotopic research on Pleistocene mammoths and marine fauna from British Columbia. Paul completed his doctoral studies in the Laboratory for Stable Isotope Science at Western University in 2013. His dissertation involved isotopic applications in the Andean region, specifically related to plant ecology, controlled studies examining fertilizers, and animal management practices. Paul held SSHRC, Killam and NSERC Banting postdoctoral fellowships in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia from 2013-2016 using isotopic analysis to investigate the palaeoecology of Arctic marine ecosystems. Paul has worked at Trent University since 2016 and became Director of the Trent Water Quality Centre in 2021.
Paul directs a diverse research program centered on stable isotope analysis, supported by several major grants from the Tri-Council, which includes a SSHRC Insight Grant to investigate agricultural intensification and animal management practices in the Andes (2019-2024), an NSERC Discovery Grant supporting research into long term variation in Arctic marine ecosystems (2020-2025), and a SSHRC Insight Development Grant to advance our understanding of the diet and mobility of the ancestors of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes in the American Plains (2020-2022). These projects correspond to Paul’s broader research focus on applying chemical analyses to archaeological materials to better understand the interactions between humans, animals, plants, and their environments. He is involved in isotopic research all over the world, but presently focuses on two geographical areas: the Andean regions of northern Peru and Chile and the North American Arctic (Canada, Alaska, Greenland).
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2017 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2017 Highest δ13C Value
🏆 2017 People's Choice Award (Sample of the Year)
🏆 2018 Lowest δ15N Value
🏆 2018 Highest δ15N Value
🏆 2018 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2018 Highest δ13C Value
🏆 2018 People's Choice Award (Sample of the Year)
🥈 2021 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Parafilm Shot Put
🥈 2021 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Microbalance Speed
🥇 2021 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Pipette transfer
🥇 2022 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Pipette transfer
DR. MATHEW TEETER
Postdoctoral Fellow (2019-)
Ph.D. Western University, 2017
M.A. Western University, 2010
B.Sc. (Honours) Laurentian University, 2005
TEAL Publications
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Dolphin AE, Teeter MA, Szpak P, 2023. The role of status, diets, and mobility in understanding the impacts of urbanization in early medieval Bergen, Norway (St. Mary's Church): Insights from stable isotope analyses. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. doi: 10.1002/oa.3216. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Guiry E, Beglane F, Szpak P, McCormick F, Teeter MA, Cheung C, Richards MP, 2023. Changing human-cattle relationships in Ireland: a 6000-year isotopic perspective. Antiquity 97, 1436-1452. doi:10.15184/aqy.2023.163. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
Matt is a senior member of the TEAL team and the Business Manager of the Water Quality Center at Trent University. His academic origin story begins with a B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology with a specialization in Forensic Science from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. Matt then adventured to the distant land of London, Ontario to complete both his M.A. and Ph.D. at Western University before landing in Peterborough to become a postdoctoral fellow at TEAL. He is currently in his fifth year as a postdoc and his fourth year as a course instructor in forensics and anthropology at Trent. Matt is currently working on a dietary study of humans who occupied the Barrack Hill military outpost (which later became Center Block at Parliament Hill) via stable isotope analysis of faunal remains. Recently, he also carried out stable isotope analyses of bone collagen, tooth dentine, and hair from human remains from Baja, Mexico; Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia; and a monastery in Gurat, France; as well as an investigation into the diet and mobility of modern sheep from Mongolia using carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotopes. He proudly holds the 2021 TEAL Sample of the Year award for analyzing the remains from a 42 000-year-old blue wildebeest.
A very lucky man, Matt was pleased to announce his marriage this summer and that he, his wife, and their basset hound/beagle mix Winston are expecting an addition to their family this November. This new addition will be competing with the current TEAL mascot, Joy, for the title of the cutest lab member. When he is not in the lab, the Water Quality Center, or a classroom, Matt enjoys educating the younger generation about all 40 seasons of The Simpsons, the Dumb and Dumber movies, Ghostbusters, and other pre-2000s action movies. The younger generations look forward to these pop culture teachings soon being redirected towards Matt’s little one. Bio by Hazel McMillan.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2020 Lowest δ15N Value
🥇 2021 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Parafilm Shot Put
🥇 2021 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Microbalance Accuracy
🏆 2021 Sample of the Year
🥉 2022 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Reagent Weighing
🥈 2022 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Parafilm Shot Put
🏆 2022 Corrie Hyland Award for Productivity
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Pipette Transfer Speed
🥇 2023 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Bone Cutting
🥇 2023 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Spigot Control
DR. ERIC GUIRY
SSHRC Banting Postdoctoral Fellow (2018-20), Postdoctoral Fellow (2023-)
Ph.D. The University of British Columbia, 2016
M.A. Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2012
B.Sc. (Honours) Lakehead University, 2009
Project: Historical ecology of the Lake Ontario Watershed.
Select Publications
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Guiry EJ, Orchard TJ, Needs-Howarth S, Szpak P, 2022. Freshwater wetland–driven variation in sulfur isotope compositions: Implications for human paleodiet and ecological research. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Guiry EJ, Kennedy JR, O’Connell MT, Gray DR, Grant C, Szpak P, 2021. Early evidence for historical overfishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Science Advances 7, eabh2525. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abh2525. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Guiry E, Orchard TJ, Needs-Howarth S, Szpak P, 2021. Isotopic Evidence for Garden Hunting and Resource Depression in the Late Woodland of Northeastern North America. American Antiquity 86, 90-110. doi:10.1017/aaq.2020.86. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Guiry EJ, Szpak P, 2021. Improved quality control criteria for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements of ancient bone collagen. Journal of Archaeological Science 132, 105416. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2021.105416.[DOWNLOAD .pdf]
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2019 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2019 Highest δ13C Value
🏆 2020 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2019, 2020 Highest δ13C Value
🏆 2020 People's Choice Award (Sample of the Year)
Eric Guiry came to Trent as a SSHRC Banting postdoctoral fellow in 2018. He previously completed a SSHRC posdoctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia where he also earned his PhD in 2016. He has a diverse range of research interests, but primarily focuses on applying stable isotope analyses to animal remains from archaeological sites. His previous research has emphasized dogs, rats, and pigs, and how isotopic data can be used to better understand human behaviour in the past. More recently, his research has focused on the historical ecology of the Great Lakes watershed and the application of isotopic techniques to modern, historic, and ancient fish remains. Eric is an impressively prolific writer and he has published extensively on a diverse range of subjects where stable isotopes, archaeology, and animals intersect. Eric was first runner up in the 2019 end of the year axe throwing party and is the current champ for number of samples analyzed in the lab. He made a strong showing at the 2019 lab awards with the highest and lowest δ13C values recorded in the calendar year: a sheepshead at −5.67 ‰ (TEAL-7334) and a yellow perch at −29.45 ‰ (TEAL-5420). Eric returned to the group as a postdoctoral fellow in 2023.
KATE DOUGHERTY
Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (2016-)
M.A. Western University, 2003
B.Sc. (Honours) Trent University, 2000
Project: Organic Residues in Middle to Early-Late Woodland Ceramics in the Kawartha Lakes Region.
Kate is a bioarchaeologist, historical archaeologist, and a Ph.D. candidate in the Environmental and Life Science program. She doubles as the Curator and Demonstrator/Technician at the Anthropology Department at Trent University. Kate holds a MA in Anthropology from Western University, where she studied the demography and mortuary pattern of a Middle Woodland burial mound located on Rice Lake near Peterborough, Ontario. For her doctoral research, she uses plant microfossil and organic chemistry techniques, including residue analysis from ceramics, to investigate the nexus between foodways and dietary history during the Middle Woodland to Early Late Woodland transition. Kate is a pioneering and versatile member of the TEAL Lab. She designed the lab's coat of arms, and her mouth-watering pastries have fueled countless lab meetings. She is an ailurophile and, as such, created a cat group for the lab. Kate also enjoys engaging in several activities, including sewing, knitting, gardening, and playing D&D.. Bio by Moses Aokgun.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2021 Best Analytical Session (Shared with Jen Routledge)
🎖️ 2021 Special Recognition for Achievement in Social Media (Lab Coat of Arms)
JENNIFER ROUTLEDGE
Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (2020-)
M.A. Student (2018-20)
M.A. Trent University, 2020
B.Sc. (Honours) Trent University, 2018
TEAL Publications
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Routledge J, Sonne C, Letcher RJ, Dietz R, Szpak P, 2023. Unprecedented shift in Canadian High Arctic polar bear food web unsettles four millennia of stability. Anthropocene 43, 100397. doi: 10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100397. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Hyland C, Scott MB, Routledge J, Szpak P, 2021. Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Variability of Bone Collagen to Determine the Number of Isotopically Distinct Specimens. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. doi:10.1007/s10816-021-09533-7. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Louis M, Routledge J, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Szpak P, Lorenzen ED, 2022. Sex and size matter: foraging ecology of offshore harbour porpoises in waters around Greenland. Marine Biology 169, 140. doi:10.1007/s00227-022-04123-x. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
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Rey-Iglesia A, Wilson T, Routledge J, Skovrind M, Garde E, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Szpak P, Lorenzen ED, 2022. Combining δ13C and δ15N from bone and dentine in marine mammal palaeoecological research: insights from toothed whales. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, 1-12. doi:10.1080/10256016.2022.2145285.
Project: Sulfur isotopes in Arctic marine ecosystems.
Jen is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Environmental and Life Sciences program. She is one of the other Trent alumni in the lab, having done her B.Sc. in Anthropology and M.A. in Anthropology here. In her undergrad, Jen studied how changing sea ice conditions in the Arctic affect polar bear ecology in Lancaster Sound using stable carbon and nitrogen analysis. For Jen’s MA thesis, she went (debatably) warmer to the Far Eastern Steppe and used stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analysis of ostrich shells to study the range, commodification, and local extinction of Asian ostriches. In her Ph.D., Jen is now back to the cold Arctic and studying spatial, temporal, and inter-species sulfur isotope variation in marine environments. Through this, she is also aiming to refine quality control criteria for stable sulfur isotope measurements of ancient bone collagen. When she’s not in the lab, Jen enjoys forest bathing as well as collecting postage stamps from fallen dictatorships. While her projects have focused on carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, Jen’s favourite isotope is actually 56Fe because it is the most stable. Bio by Rachel Dickenson.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2019 Lowest δ15N Value
🥇 2021 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Bone Cutting
🏆 2021 Matt Teeter Award for Most Glassware Broken
🏆 2021 Best Analytical Session (Shared with Kate Dougherty)
🏆 2022 Best Sample Replicate
🏆 2023 Highest δ13C Value
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Reagent Weighing
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Bone Cutting
![jen routledge bear IMG-20230812-WA0000[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/76b0b0_01b001a5b28349279535d6e1945b31f5~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_419,y_143,w_764,h_1027/fill/w_72,h_97,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/jen%20routledge%20bear%20IMG-20230812-WA0000%5B1%5D.jpg)
ALEX DERIAN
Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (2022-)
B.A. Simon Fraser University, 2020; M.A. Simon Fraser University, 2022
Project: Historical and Palaeoecology of Arctic Fox
From Vancouver, British Columbia, Alex Derian is a Ph.D. student at Trent University in the Environmental & Life Sciences stream and is currently researching the life histories of Arctic foxes through stable isotope analysis. With a strong academic foundation, she completed her B.A. and M.A. in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University, where she honed her skills in zooarchaeological analyses. Progressing into the second year of her Ph.D., Alex is delving into the foraging ecology of Arctic foxes across the Inuit Nunangat, exploring how human subsistence practices have impacted their dietary habits and life histories. Prior to Archaeology, Alex found herself featured in many prominent roles within various independent films, including as a main character in the award-nominated movie Do Cicadas Dream of Death, and even has a profile on IMDB. Aside from her acting career, Alex also boasts many talents, such as a musical inclination to the guitar, drums, violin, and piano! In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, rock climbing, and romantic comedies. One fun fact about Alex is that she speaks a little bit of Scottish Gaelic! Bio by Dashiell Ives.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🥈 2023 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Bone Cutting
🏆 2023 Best Sample Replicate (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Best Sample Analytical Session (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
NURI AYDEMIR
Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. Student (2024-)
B.A. Ankara University, 2019; M.A. Ankara University, 2022
Project: TBD
Nuri is a PhD student in Environmental and Life Sciences. He moved to Peterborough from Ankara, Türkiye, where he completed his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees (Ankara University, 2019 and 2022, respectively). Nuri first became involved in archaeological science while on exchange in South Korea during his bachelor’s degree. He has participated in excavations at Kültepe, a Bronze Age settlement in central Anatolia, and Kizilin Cave, an epipaleolithic settlement in Türkiye. His master’s thesis evaluated the stable isotope literature on Neolithization process in Anatolia. His PhD research will investigate Neolithization in southwest Asia, focusing on heavy metal isotopes and collagen extraction in poorly preserved skeletal remains. Outside of the lab, Nuri is an accomplished climber. He was a national athlete in Türkiye and won three gold, and two silver medals for lead climbing and bouldering. He also enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy, is interested in astronomy and astrophysics, and has a cat named Lassie (for her dog-like personality). A fun fact about Nuri is that he used to be an EMT! Bio by Alex Derian.
JULIA McCUAIG
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2022-)
B.Sc. Thesis Student (2021-22)
B.Sc. Trent University, 2022
Project: Agricultural Intensification at Galindo, Moche Valley
Julia is working on her MSc in Anthropology and is excited to return to the lab. She holds an Honours BSc in Anthropology with a minor in Biology. Julia previously worked with Dr. Szpak and the TEAL crew when completing her undergraduate thesis on reconstructing camelid management practices at the archaeological site of Cerro de Oro in the Cañete Valley, Peru. She hopes to make connections in the lab to collaborate on more projects and is aiming to complete a PhD. In her free time, Julia loves to crochet and she recently adopted an adorable cat named Gimli. Bio by Jenna Milner.
TEAL Publications
Westbury MV, Brown SC, Lorenzen J, O’Neill S, Scott MB, McCuaig J, Cheung C, Armstrong E, Valdes PJ, Samaniego Castruita JA, Cabrera AA, Blom SK, Dietz R, Sonne C, Louis M, Galatius A, Fordham DA, Ribeiro S, Szpak P, Lorenzen ED, Impact of Holocene environmental change on the evolutionary ecology of an Arctic top predator. Science Advances 9, eadf3326. doi:10.1126/sciadv.adf3326. [DOWNLOAD .pdf]
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2021 Corrie Hyland Award for Positivity
🥇 2021 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Microbalance Speed
🥇 2022 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Microbalance Speed
🥈 2022 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Pipette Transfer
🏆 2022 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2022 Special Recognition in Social Media Award (Shared with Nicole Hulquist)
🥇 2022 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Pipette Transfer
🥇 2023 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Microbalance Speed
🏆 2023 Best Sample Replicate (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Best Analytical Session (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Matt Teeter Award
🏆 2023 Corrie Hyland Award for Positivity (shared with Rachel Dickenson)
OLIVIA HALL
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2022-)
B.Sc. Thesis Student (2021-22)
B.Sc. Trent University, 2022
Project: Quantifying variation in bone collagen turnover rates among species and skeletal elements using bomb curve dating
Now entering her third year with TEAL, Olivia completed her undergraduate thesis working with Paul Szpak in 2022. Her undergraduate thesis used stable isotope analysis to reconstruct the diets of dogs at the archaeological site of Cerro de Oro in Peru. Olivia’s MSc thesis project involves examining the highly variable nature of how the protein in human bones in renewed and replaced. Always keeping busy, Olivia enjoys listening to LORE podcast when getting work done. When not found working in the lab discovering the secrets of collagen turnover rates, Olivia can be found experimenting with (and enjoying!) a variety of new recipes in the kitchen, rocking out to EDM or anything that fits the vibe. In her free time, Olivia loves all things horror and Halloween, ranging from horror movies to serial killer biographies, and loves spending time with her cat. Her ideal vacation is touring Europe, however a hammock in a tropical destination works just as well. Bio by Ryan Pawlowski.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2022 Best New Taxon
🥉 2022 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Bone Cutting
🏆 2022 Highest δ15N Value
🥈 2023 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Microbalance Speed
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Parafilm Shotput
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Spigot Control
🏆 2023 Best Sample Replicate (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Best Analytical Session (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Best New Taxon (Syncerus antiquus)
🏆 2023 Sample of the Year (110,000+ year old sample yielding good collagen)
🏆 2023 Social Media Award (Viral TikTok)
🏆 2023 Early Worm Award for Most Early Instrument Starts
🏆 2023 Tess Wilson Award for Instrumental Perseverance (shared with Olivia Hall)
ALEXIS RAUSCH
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2022-)
B.A. Grand Valley State University, 2020
Project: Isotopic Perspectives on the Life Histories of Victims of the 1847 Typhus Epidemic in Kingston, Ontario
Alexis joined TEAL in 2022 and is now in the second year of her Masters degree. Originally from Ohio, Alexis graduated with her B.A. in 2020 from Grand Valley State University, where she majored in Anthropology and double minored in Archaeology and French. She is conducting a stable isotope study on the teeth of victims of the 1847 typhus epidemic, which were excavated at a 19th century archaeological site at Kingstone General Hospital in Kingston, Ontario. Alexis has successfully proven herself to be the nightowl of the lab with many late autosampler fills and has also been a TA for a lot of night classes. When Alexis is not coming in for more lab work on the weekends, she has some very cool hobbies that include finding and petting as many cute animals as she can, video games (currently Baldur’s Gate and Dave the Diver), rewatching The Great British Bake-Off, Dungeons and Dragons, martial arts, and crafting! Bio by Janelle Priodoehl.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🥇 2023 Lab Olympics Gold Medal: Reagent Weighing
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Microbalance Accuracy
🥈 2023 Lab Olympics Silver Medal: Spigot Control
🏆 2023 Best Sample Replicate (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Best Analytical Session (with 2022-23 Graduate Class)
🏆 2023 Eric Guiry Award (325 EA-IRMS and 358 MC-ICP-MS samples analyzed)
🏆 2023 Tess Wilson Award for Instrumental Perseverance (shared with Olivia Hall)
🏆 2023 Best Lab Meeting Presentation (Alex's Memes)
RACHEL DICKENSON
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2023-)
B.Sc. Trent University, 2023
Project: Palaeoecology of Neanderthals from Crvena Stijena, Montenegro
Rachel is one of our two new first year Master's students in the lab in 2023. However, she is no stranger to Trent, as she has recently completed her undergraduate degree in the Forensic Science program just this past year. Her thesis will take a multi-isotopic (C, N, S, Sr) approach to study mobility patterns and diet in the Paleolithic at Crvena Stijena. This archaeological site is located in a cave in Montenegro, and its location should provide interesting insights into movement patterns between Africa and the rest of Europe during this time period. Outside of the lab, Rachel enjoys reading murder mysteries, rock climbing, and going on walks to meet the neighborhood dogs. Her beige flag is that she eats Lucky Charms for dinner most nights. Bio by Alexis Rausch.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🏆 2023 Corrie Hyland Award for Positivity (shared with Julia McCuaig)
RYAN PAWLOWSKI
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2023-)
B.Sc. University of Toronto, Mississagua, 2023
Project: Effects of Decomposition on the Isotopic Composition of Human Soft Tissues
Ryan is a new addition to the TEAL lab! He completed his undergraduate degree in Forensic Anthropology Specialist Degree (BSc) spring of 2023 at the University of Toronto, Mississauga. His master's thesis research will be the examination of soft tissues from human donors at the RESTES facility using stable isotope analysis to examine the changes in stable isotopes after death. This research aims to assess if stable isotopes can be useful markers for time-since-death estimates. Ryan originally went into forensic science after watching the TV show Forensic Files and loves all things Steven King. When he is not doing course work and research, he is often found enjoying fishing, reading, swimming, and gaming. A few fun facts about Ryan is that he has been growing out his long locks since grade 4, he loves peanut butter (but not pb and j sandwiches) and he is an extra in the movie Pixels ft. Adam Sandler! Bio by Julia McCuaig.
ANAHI MATURANA-FERNANDEZ
Anthropology M.Sc. Student (2021-)
B.A., Universidad de Chile, 2012
Project: Isotopic Perspectives on Agricultural Practices at San Pedro de Atacama
Originally from Chile, Anahi is now in the second year of her master’s degree here in Canada, and has been working on her thesis involving stable isotope analysis of plant remains from the Middle Period and Late Intermediate Period from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. Prior to undertaking her master’s, Anahi received her B.A. in Physical Anthropology from the University of Chile. She has also worked in various archaeology-related fields, including museum work, cultural resource management, and bioarchaeological research in the Atacama Desert. Outside of research, Anahi spends a lot of time knitting (like, a lot of time), as well as learning new languages. Currently she speaks English, Spanish, and German fluently, and is working towards learning Italian. With an impressive streak of over 600 days on the language learning app Duolingo, it would be no surprise for her to be fluent in Italian before her degree is done! Bio by Olivia Hall.
TEAL Awards and Honours
🎖️ 2021 Special Recognition for Social Media (Lab TikTok, Shared with 2021-22 MA Students)
🥉 2022 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Microbalance Accuracy
🏆 2022 Lowest δ15N Value (Shared with 2021-22 Graduate Class)
🏆 2022 Highest δ13C Value
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Microbalance Speed
🥉 2023 Lab Olympics Bronze Medal: Microbalance Accuracy
🏆 2023 Lowest δ13C Value
🏆 2023 Lowest δ15N Value
🏆 2023 Highest δ15N Value
HAZEL McMILLAN
Conservation Biology B.Sc. Student (2023-)
B.Sc., Trent University, 2024 (Expected)
Project: Palaeoecology of Alaskan Pinnipeds
Originally from South Mountain, and now residing in Campbellford, Ontario, Hazel is working towards an undergraduate degree in Conservation Biology (B.Sc.). As part of their degree, Hazel is working towards completing a thesis project by reconstructing the palaeoecology of Alaskan pinnipeds through the stable isotope analysis of tissues from both modern and ancient seal samples. Hazel is no stranger to wildlife! With 3 horses and a donkey at home, and a previous life as a barrel racer & pole bender, Hazel spends a lot of time around non-humans. When not working hard towards their degree or feeding and taking care of the animals, Hazel enjoys relaxing with the books Tuck Everlasting, and Slewfoot, or watching shows like Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99, and Good Omens. When time affords them, and not one to bend to lab pressure, Hazel also enjoys musicals like Moulin Rouge. Hazel’s love of animals, and marine mammals specifically, has made for a seamless transition to the world of archaeology and the TEAL laboratory from the backwaters of Biology. Bio by Matt Teeter.
DASHIELL IVES
Anthropology B.A. Student (2023-)
B.A., Trent University, 2024 (Expected)
Project: Stables Isotopes and Diet of Canids from Cape Espenberg, Alaska
Dashiell is a fourth-year undergraduate student completing his honours thesis. His research evaluates whether dogs are a suitable proxy for humans in Birnirk (northern Alaska, AD 6th–12th centuries) paleodiet reconstructions. Dashiell’s research interests include paleoanthropology, human migrations, and South African archaeology. He also has experience building 3D models of paleoanthropological and osteological specimens that are used for teaching purposes at Trent. Outside of his research, Dashiell enjoys mixed martial arts (particularly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and judo), lifting weights, and reading. A fun fact about Dashiell is that he used to be a competitive go-kart racer! Bio by Alex Derian.
JANELLE PRIDOEHL
Archaeology B.Sc. Student (2023-)
B.Sc., Trent University, 2024 (Expected)
Project: Stables Isotopes of Highland Camelids in Chile
Meet Janelle! Janelle is an undergraduate student in the Archaeology program at Trent. Her thesis research involves conducting stable isotope analysis on camelids from archaeological sites in northern Chile, with a specific emphasis on characterizing the isotopic compositions of camelids living in high altitude pastures of this region. Janelle's passion for archaeology traces back to her childhood curiosity about the ways people lived in the past. Throughout her degree, Janelle has honed her interests, primarily centering on agricultural and pastoral subsistence strategies. Additionally, Janelle has acquired expertise in ceramics through her participation in Trent’s Belize field school where she contributed to the excavation of Mayan ceramics. Beyond her academic pursuits, Janelle is an avid outdoor enthusiast, enjoying activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and camping. She is also a retired soccer player who got to compete in places such as California and North Carolina. When she's not busy with sports and outdoor adventures, you can find her reading, gaming, or playing board or card games with her friends. Her top recommendation for a fun game night? Dutch Blitz! Bio by Olivia Hall.
![Janelle Pridoehl Day16_Belize2023_LabDay_CocoChan_24[Janelle].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/76b0b0_d0e35c3908324f54a64e52a2aeb6e804~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_416,w_3456,h_4353/fill/w_72,h_91,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Janelle%20Pridoehl%20Day16_Belize2023_LabDay_CocoChan_24%5BJanelle%5D_JPG.jpg)
MOSES AKOGUN
Visiting Scholar (2023-), Anthropology Ph.D. Student at University of Toronto
Project: Animal Management Practices in the Neolithic of Eastern Mongolia
Moses comes to our lab this year as a second year PhD student from the Anthropology department at the University of Toronto. He is eager to make stable isotope analysis an integral method of his research program, which focuses on understanding Early Neolithic management of horses and cattle in eastern Mongolia. Moses hopes that, through a comprehensive suite of isotopic analyses, he will be able to reveal the migration and diet patterns pertaining to these species, and specifically learn about the adoption and implementation of foddering practices in animal management. Prior to his work with supervisor Dr Lisa Janz at U of T, Moses completed his BSc at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. As an undergraduate, he conducted faunal analysis which led to his interest in horses and in the potential of stable isotope analysis as a tool to answer important archaeological questions. Moses continues to participate in a project investigating inter-site interactions with horses in Nigeria and looks forward to bringing knowledge in stable isotopes to that research as well. In his off hours he enjoys playing chess and acquired a Mongolian chess board during his field expedition this past summer. His favourite music genre is Afrobeats so we look forward to some new music in the lab this year. Bio by Jen Routledge.
ASA CAMERON
Visiting Scholar (2019-), Anthropology Ph.D. Student at Yale University
Project: Stables Isotopes of Mongolian Fauna
Bio Coming Soon
CHRISTINA CAROLUS
Visiting Scholar (2022-), Anthropology Ph.D. Student at Yale University
Project: Stables Isotopes of Mongolian Fauna
Bio Coming Soon
MAGIE AIKEN
Visiting Scholar (2023-)
Project: Stables Isotopes of Black Sea Fauna
Magie first visited TEAL in the depths of winter 2021, and luckily the freezing cold and COVID-deserted hallways didn’t put her off because she is back for a longer spell! Born in Wisconsin, she spent her teenage years in Alberta, has done fieldwork in Greece, and most recently lived in Denmark, where she completed her PhD in May 2023 at the University of Copenhagen. Magie wanted to be a teacher when she was little, and she is fulfilling that dream in part by teaching Archaeology II: Methods for the Department of Anthropology at Trent in the Fall term. In her spare time she can be found curled up with a book exploring some strange new worlds of science fiction. Her favourite colour is purple and her favourite food is (good) watermelon. Since that is such a rare find, however, she wouldn’t say no to aged white cheddar or smoked gouda instead. Speaking of food, her research interests include food resource use and human-animal relationships and exploitation, most recently focused on Black Sea cetaceans. Bio by Kate Dougherty.
JOY
Lab Mascot (2017-)
No known degrees
Project: Diet-tissue discrimination factors for canids provisioned with a wide range of meats and cheeses.
Joy's past is shrouded in mystery but she joined the group from Istanbul, Turkey in 2017. She has a cauliflower ear and a friendly disposition. Her favourite piece of anthropological literature is "How Dogs Dream" by Eduardo Kohn, although she admits that she doesn't really understand it. Her primary research interests include the anthropology of sleeping and laziness, experimental archaeology focusing on the taphonomy of large mammal bones exposed to carnivore gnawing, and the behavioural ecology of squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits. Her main contribution to the lab is the initial processing of animals bones that are used in methodological studies such as the VIP, DATA, PATRICIA, and TIBIA graduate class projects.
