I presently work for two projects based in Pompeii, Italy, where I spend my summers. The University of Cincinnati's Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (PARP:PS), seeks to better understand the economic development within an urban middle-class neighborhood. I've worked as an excavation supervisor, researcher, and illustrator for this project since its 2005 inception. UC-Berkeley's Pompeii Artifact Life History Project (PALHIP) looks at the use-life history of ceramic objects in the archaeological record -- Pompeii is a great source of collections for a project like this, as the volcanic eruption that covered the region in 79 CE provides a pretty firm 'end-of-life' date for many of these artifacts. I've been with this project since 2013. In both cases, I've been lucky enough to work with talented, smart, innovative people who are also cool, kind, and hilarious.
My dissertation research, which I carry out through Temple University's Department of Anthropology, focuses on ancient ceramic technology - specifically, I am in the process of re-creating a 3rd century BCE kiln that PARP:PS excavated a few seasons back in an effort to calculate fuel consumption, analyze technological choice, and create a model of ancient ceramic production.