Neil Duncan

Neil Duncan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Central Florida (UCF), part of the College of Sciences. His research specializes in paleoethnobotany, focusing on human-plant interrelationships in prehistory through micro-remain analyses, starch grains, and phytoliths. He directs the Paleoethnobotany and Environmental Archaeology Laboratory (PEAL). Dr. Duncan holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Missouri-Columbia, with postdoctoral work at Stanford University’s Archaeology Center and a Fulbright Research Specialist appointment in Ecuador.

His research spans regions including Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, the Caribbean, and China. Key interests include plant domestication, historical ecology, and archaeological investigations into foodways and environmental management. He collaborates internationally on projects such as Amazonian floodplain agriculture, Andean crop systems, and Caribbean island ecosystems. Dr. Duncan emphasizes rigorous scientific methodologies in mentoring students, focusing on independent research in archaeobotany, starch/phytolith analysis, and prehistoric subsistence strategies.

He seeks graduate students interested in archaeology of the Americas, paleoethnobotanical techniques, and regional studies in the Andes, Amazon, and Caribbean. Current student projects include analyses of ceramic residues from Bolivia and Florida, phytolith studies in sediments, and investigations into pre-Columbian agricultural practices.

Dr. Duncan’s work bridges environmental and cultural anthropology, addressing long-term human-environment interactions. His lab (PEAL) supports interdisciplinary approaches to reconstructing past landscapes and societal adaptations. Professional activities include fieldwork coordination, archaeological coring, and methodological advancements in plant microremain identification.