Geographical Areas of Specialization
- Western North America, Gulf of Mexico
Research Interests
- Zooarchaeology, Historical Archaeology, Fish and Fisheries, Animal Commodification and Trade, Chinese Diaspora, Migration, Archaeology of Food
My research focuses on the commodification and trade of animals in the past, and I am especially interested in how and why animals and animals are incorporated into broader market economies and how commodification impacts animals through processes like overfishing. I explore these themes in several contexts, including (1) Chinese diaspora sites in the American West (especially California and Wyoming) and (2) the northern Gulf of Mexico (especially New Orleans).
My work in Chinese diaspora contexts began with analysis of animal remains from the Market Street Chinatown, a 19th-century Chinese community in San Jose, California. My early research questions examined the role of food in migrant lives, how diasporic foodways compared to those in migrants’ home villages, and how archaeologists approach tradition in migrant contexts. Since then, I have focused on Chinese-run extractive industries in the American West, including dried fish and bear paw production.
I am also conducting research on the development and effects of fishing industries in the Gulf of Mexico.
