My research involves archaeology and archaeobotany in the Maya region, reconstructing Classic Maya agricultural practices through the excavation and analysis of ancient plant remains. My focus is on how the Maya were able to develop a complex, state level society in an area traditionally considered inhospitable to large scale agriculture. Previously, I joined a multi-disciplinary project at Motul de San Jose in the Peten rainforest of Guatemala, studying economic interaction in the Maya Lowlands during the Classic Period (A.D. 250-A.D. 900).