Brendan Culleton

Brendan Culleton is an Associate Research Professor at Pennsylvania State University's Department of Anthropology, affiliated with the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories. He oversees the Penn State Radiocarbon Laboratory, managing a 500kV Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) dedicated to radiocarbon measurement. Culleton earned his PhD in Anthropology (Archaeology) from the University of Oregon and joined Penn State as a postdoc, contributing to the development of the Human Paleoecology and Isotope Geochemistry Lab. He played a key role in acquiring the AMS in 2016 through university funding and continues to lead its operations.

His research focuses on radiocarbon applications in archaeology and geochemistry, including freshwater/marine reservoir effects, Maya chronology, climate-driven societal changes, and ancient DNA studies. He emphasizes democratizing radiocarbon knowledge by collaborating with universities to establish 14C prep labs, fostering student involvement in hands-on sample preparation.

Notable contributions include refining chronologies for megafaunal extinctions, Maya settlements, and global ancient DNA studies. Culleton's work bridges technical expertise with interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasizing accessibility in scientific practices.