Alleen Mae Betzenhauser

Alleen Mae Betzenhauser is a Research Fellow at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, affiliated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2011.

Education:

• PhD in Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2011)

Her research focuses on Mississippian culture, Cahokia, and American Bottom archaeology, with expertise in maize nixtamalization, urban infrastructure, and climate change impacts on pre-Columbian populations. She actively collaborates on diaspora studies and isotopic evidence in archaeological contexts.

Recent Research Trends: Her 2025-2023 publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to Cahokian cuisine, urban anomalies, and climate-population dynamics, spanning archaeology, anthropology, and food science.

Roles:

• Director, Illinois State Archaeological Survey
• Principal Research Scientist, Illinois State Archaeological Survey
• Associate Research Scientist, Archaeology, Illinois State Archaeological Survey