I received a BA in Near Eastern Archaeology from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2008, and completed my MA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from University of Pennsylvania in 2012, focusing on the interactions of the Iranian Plateau with Central Asia during the Bronze age. My MA thesis explored the dynamics of cultural interaction at the site of Tepe Hissar in NE Iran and also solidified my interest in studying the frontier zones on the Iranian Plateau. I intend to undertake an in-depth study of frontiers and borderlands in the Ancient World from anthropological and archaeological perspectives, and to explore the cross-regional encounters that shape and impact frontier communities.
I am also interested in applying curatorial practices as an alternative and more public outlet for academic research and an integral link between the world of academic archaeology and the public perception of the ancient world. I also hold an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from New York University.