kenneth.vernon@colorado.edu

IBS Associations

Environment and Society Program

Center for Collaborative Synthesis in Archaeology

Research Interests

Anthropology

My research focuses on the social and environmental drivers of variation in human behavior, as recommended by the evolutionary science of behavioral ecology. Of particular interest to me is how individuals choose to navigate the difficult challenges posed by conflict and climate change and how those choices reverberate through their communities and their local ecology.

Archaeology

Mostly, my work explores past variation in human behavior, especially in marginal environments like the arid American West. This often involves the use of various geographic and spatial modeling techniques.

Data Science

I devote considerable time and energy to organizing data collected on public lands and making it more accessible for research and preservation. I am also passionate about using data science for education. Whether I am teaching in the classroom, mentoring student researchers, or interacting with the public, I want to expand the archaeological neighborhood within the wider community of science, making it a more diverse and equitable institution.