Katharine G. Napora, M.A., is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology specializing in the study of climate change in the ancient past. Ms. Napora’s work combines elements of archaeological, environmental, and biological sciences to develop more comprehensive and nuanced interpretations of the complex interactions between shore-dwelling and highly ocean-dependent societies and the coastal environment as well as the diverse ways in which the closely linked social and natural realms have covaried. A proponent of international, multidisciplinary, and collaborative research, she works along the Atlantic coastlines of both Western Europe and the U.S.A.

Her doctoral research integrates dendrochronology and shell midden analyses and radiocarbon dating to reconstruct and better understand the connection between sea level fluctuations, paleoenvironmental changes, and cultural shifts along the Georgia Coast over the last several millennia.

In addition, Ms. Napora is working with Doug Dvoracek to identify volcanic chemical signatures in tree rings from the Mount St. Helens vicinity to better recognize eruptions in the ancient past as well as with Alexander Cherkinsky on a high-resolution radiocarbon dating project to determine if a 14C offset from the calibration curve exists in the Southeast U.S. Ms. Napora received her Master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 2012 and her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 2011.

In her free time, Katharine enjoys scuba diving and windsurfing.