Natalie G. Mueller

Natalie G. Mueller is an Assistant Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from Washington University (2017) and teaches courses in archaeology, anthropological theory, and environmental anthropology. Her research focuses on historical ecology, plant domestication processes, and the evolution of agrobiodiversity in North America, with a particular emphasis on the Eastern Agricultural Complex.

Education:

• PhD, Anthropology (2017), Washington University in St. Louis
• MA, Anthropology (2012), Washington University in St. Louis
• BA, International Affairs & Archaeology (Summa cum laude, 2009), George Washington University

Research Interests: Dr. Mueller combines morphometric, molecular, and experimental approaches to study plant domestication dynamics. Her work examines how social institutions and environmental factors shaped agricultural practices, with recent studies investigating the role of grazing animals in crop domestication and the resilience of prehistoric food systems. Key projects include the 'Lost Crops' initiative, which revives and studies ancient crop species like erect knotweed and sumpweed.

Awards & Grants: Recipient of NSF grants (including a Social & Behavioral Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship), Haus der Kulturen der Welt Research Grants, and the Patty Jo Watson Award. Her grants total over $500,000 across projects like 'Ancient Bison Herds and Plant Domestication' and 'Growing Lost Crops.'

Teaching & Outreach: Teaches courses including Introduction to Archaeology and Culture and the Environment. Leads field schools and collaborates with Indigenous communities on agricultural heritage preservation. Active in public engagement through blogs, media interviews, and the Lost Crops educational initiative.

Labs & Teams: Directs the Paleoethnobotany Laboratory at Washington University and collaborates with institutions like the Max Planck Institute and Cornell University's School of Integrative Plant Science. Leads the Lost Crops Garden Network to cultivate and study extinct North American crops.