W. Christopher Carleton

Dr. W. Christopher Carleton is a Senior Scientist in the Department for Coevolution of Land Use and Urbanization at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA) in Jena, Germany, where he joined in August 2019 after a postdoctoral fellowship at Simon Fraser University.

His educational background includes:

• BA in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from the University of Saskatchewan
• MA in Anthropology from Trent University, Ontario
• PhD in Archaeology from Simon Fraser University, British Columbia

Dr. Carleton's research centers on long-term human-environment interactions through paleoecological and archaeological records (paleodata). He develops innovative statistical methods to address data uncertainties and complexities, aiming to establish paleodata science as a distinct field. His work combines archaeological fieldwork across multiple continents—including current leadership of the Koh Ker project in Cambodia—with advanced data science techniques to reconstruct historical land-use patterns and societal adaptations.

No scientific awards are mentioned in the provided information.

Details regarding student supervision and research grants are not specified in the current text, though his active field projects and methodological development suggest ongoing research funding.

Dr. Carleton leads archaeological investigations at Koh Ker, Cambodia—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that briefly served as the Angkor civilization's capital—focusing on settlement development, land-use systems, and environmental interactions in this historically significant location.