Beth K. Scaffidi

Beth K. Scaffidi serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Heritage Studies within UC Merced's School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. She directs the Skeletal and Environmental Isotope Laboratory where she conducts stable and radiogenic isotope analysis of archaeological materials.

Her research focuses on human adaptation to environmental and cultural stresses through bioarchaeological methods. Key areas include reconstructing health patterns, dietary changes, and residential mobility using osteological, isotopic, geospatial, and big data approaches. Current projects examine Wari imperial dissolution impacts and water scarcity effects on ancient Peruvian populations, building on prior work investigating pre-Wari era state formation processes in southern Peru.

• Spatially-oriented bioarchaeology
• Isotopic analysis of human remains
• Environmental stress responses in ancient populations
• Archaeological big data methodologies