Kandace D. Hollenbach

Kandace D. Hollenbach is an Associate Professor and Associate Head in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and serves as Associate Curator of Paleoethnobotany at the McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture. Her research focuses on prehistoric foodways, foraging strategies, and the transition to agriculture in the eastern United States, particularly in Tennessee. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Her work integrates paleoethnobotanical analysis with archaeological excavation, exploring how ancient communities interacted with landscapes, managed resources, and developed agricultural practices. Notable contributions include studies on Late Archaic and Woodland period food systems, early gatherer strategies, and the cultural implications of shifting subsistence patterns.

Hollenbach has held leadership roles including President of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference (2022-2024) and Tennessee Council for Professional Archaeology. Her 2012 C.B. Moore Award recognizes exceptional contributions to southeastern archaeology. Current research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to reconstructing prehistoric diets and land-use patterns through botanical remains and isotopic analysis.