Michele L. Koons
CURRENT POSITIONS
2013-present Curator of Archaeology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2014-present Lecturer, University of Colorado, Denver
PAST POSITIONS
2014 Adjunct Faculty, University of Denver
2012- 2013 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Anthropology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science
EDUCATION
2012 Ph.D. Harvard University (Anthropology)
2006 M.A. University of Denver (Anthropology)
2001 B.A. University of Pittsburgh (Anthropology)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Archaeology of Complex Societies, Andean Archaeology, Southwest Archaeology, Desert Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Human-Environmental Dynamics, Geophysical Archaeology, Ceramic Analysis and Petrography, Radiocarbon Dating, GIS, Public Archaeology, Museum Studies
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD EXPERIENCE
2019-present Pañamarca Landscapes Archaeological Project, Nepeña Valley, Peru (Co-Director)
2016-present Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project, Golden, Colorado (Co-Director)
2014-present Reserve Area Archaeological Project, New Mexico (Co-Director)
2013 Peru Human Eco-Dynamics Project Sub-Project: Past Land Management Strategies
and Environmental Responses in the Chicama Valley, Peru (Co-Director)
2009-2012 Proyecto Arqueológico Licapa II, Chicama Valley, Peru (Director)
2010-2011 Chengdu Plain Archaeological Survey, Pixian, China (Survey Supervisor)
2007-2009 Proyecto Arqueológico San Jose de Moro, Jequetepeque Vallley, Peru
2006-2009 Magdalena de Cao Viejo Archaeological Project, Chicama Valley, Peru
2007-2009 Harvard Yard Archaeological Project, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2004-2006 Proyecto Arqueológico Pumapunku Akapana, Tiwanaku, Bolivia
2002-2003 LTA, Inc. (CRM Company) Laramie, Wyoming, Crew Chief- Multiple Excavation and Survey projects throughout Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and Idaho
2000 Museo San Miguel de Azapa- Multiple projects in the Azapa Valley, Chile
2000 Parker Farm and Rogers Farm Archaeological Project, University of Pittsburgh, Field School, Ithaca, New York
MUSEUM EXHIBITS
Ongoing Curator, Egyptian Mummies, permanent exhibit at DMNS—Updated in 2017
2017-2018 Curator, Dead Sea Scrolls, temporary exhibit
2015-2017 Curator, Mummies: Secrets from the Tombs, temporary exhibit
2012-2014 Curator, Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed, temporary exhibit
OTHER MUSEUM EXPERIENCE
2012 Museum of Science- Volunteer Interpreter- Human Body Connection, Boston, MA
2010-2012 Harvard University Peabody Museum- Research Assistant- Collections and Archives, Cambridge, MA
2002-2005 Museo de las Americas- Educator, Workshop Developer, Docent, Denver, CO
2001 College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Mütter Museum- Intern, Philadelphia, PA
2000 Museo Arqueológico de San Miguel de Azapa- Intern, Student, Arica, Chile
HONORS AND AWARDS
2020 Colorado State Archaeologist’s Stephen H. Hart Award for the Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project
2019 Josephine H. Miles History Award from History Colorado for the Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project
2019 Society for American Archaeology Award for Excellence in Public Education for the Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project
2009, 2008 Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching
GRANTS
2018 Colorado State Historical Fund Grant for Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project ($137K)
2017 National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to move Archaeology Collection at DMNS ($300K)
2017 DMNS Decision Package Granted for Excavation and Analysis for Magic Mountain Archaeological Project, Golden, CO ($60K)
2016, 2014 DMNS KT Challenge Grant ($10K total)
2012, 2010 Harvard University Peabody Museum Hemenway Award ($14K total)
2011-2012 Harvard GSAS Dissertation Completion Fellowship
2010 National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant ($20K)
2010 National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration Grant ($25K)
2010 Dumbarton Oaks Short-Term Pre-Doctoral Residency Fellowship
2009 David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Research Grant ($5K)
2009 Harvard University Graduate Society Merit Fellowship ($12K)
2009 Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grant ($3K)
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND TRAININGS
Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Scientific Recovery Expert (SRE) training, December 2020
Leadership Training: 200-hour certified yoga teacher, graduated November 2020
Institute on Digital Archaeology Method and Practice. East Lansing, MI 2015 and 2016
DGPS training 2015
Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science training. Denver, CO, 2015
Photogrammetry training class- CHI Institute. San Francisco, CA 2014
UAV Training 2014
Rachel Carson Center and the Global Diversity Foundation Fellowship, Munich, Germany 2012
X-Ray Florescence training 2010 and 2011
Ceramic Petrography class at MIT 2009
Geophysical Techniques: GPR, Magnetometry, Resistivity, Magnetic Susceptibility, Conductivity
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Colorado, Denver
2015-present Museum Anthropology in the 21st Century
University of Denver
2014 Environmental Archaeology: Humans in the Natural World, Winter 2014
2005-2006 Teaching Assistant (TA) for University of Denver GPR Class
2005 TA for Field Methods course in Picket Wire Canyon, CO
2003-2005 TA for Global Perspectives
Harvard University
2011 Teaching Fellow (TF) for Digging the Glyphs: Adventures in Decipherment
2009 TF for Harvard Yard Archaeology; The Conquistadors; Anthropology and the Uses of History
2008 TF for Introduction to Archaeology; Harvard Yard Archaeology Laboratory Class
2007, 2009 TF for Harvard Archaeological Field School at San Jose de Moro, Chepén, Peru
RESEARCH POSITIONS
2005-2006 University of Arkansas- Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) Technical Assistant- SERDP Contract-Visualization of GPR data from Pueblo Escondido, NM
2005-2006 University of Pennsylvania- Visiting Scholar- 3D Visualization of GPR data from Tiwanaku, Bolivia
PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS
Publications in Refereed Edited Volumes and Journals
2021 KOONS, M. and C. ARBUCKLE MACLEOD, eds. The Egyptian Mummies and Coffins of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. University Press of Colorado
2019 VELLA, M.-A., E. ERNENWEIN, J.W. JANUSEK, M.KOONS, J. THIESSON, C. SANCHEZ, R. GUERIN, and C. CAMERLYNCK New insights into
prehispanic urban organization of Tiwanaku (La Paz, Bolivia): Cross-combined approach of photogrammetry, magnetic surveys and previous
archaeological excavations. Journal of Archaeological Research: Reports (23) 464-477
2016 CARAMANICA, A. and KOONS, M. Living on the Edge: Pre-Columbian Habitation of the Desert Periphery of the Chicama Valley, Peru. In The
Archaeology of Human-Environmental Interactions: Strategies for Investigating Anthropogenic Landscapes, Dynamic Environments, and Climate
Change in the Human Past pp. 141-165. Edited by Daniel A. Contreras. Routledge, New York
2015 KOONS, M. Moche Socio-Political Dynamics and the Role of Licapa II, Chicama Valley, Peru. Latin American Antiquity 26(4): 473-492
2015 KOONS, M. External versus Internal: An Examination of Moche Politics through Similarities and Differences in Ceramic Style. In Proceedings from
the Andean Ceramic Characterization Session from the 2014 SAA Annual Meeting in Austin, TX, edited by I. DRUC, pp. 57-82. Blue Mounds, WI:
Deep University Press.
2015 KOONS, M. and S. NASH Preliminary Results of AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Sandals from Tularosa Cave, NM. In Collected Papers from the 18th
Biennial Mogollon Archaeology Conference, edited by L.C. LUDEMAN, pp. 216-231. Las Cruces, NM: Friends of Mogollon Archaeology
2015 NASH, S. and M. KOONS The Reserve Area Archaeological Project. In Collected Papers from the 18th Biennial Mogollon Archaeology Conference,
edited by L.C. LUDEMAN, pp. 233-248. Las Cruces, NM: Friends of Mogollon Archaeology
2014 KOONS, M. and B. ALEX Reevaluating Moche Chronology through Bayesian Methods. Radiocarbon 56(3): 1039-1055.
2013 KOONS, M. Reexamining Tiwanaku’s Urban Renewal through Ground-Penetrating Radar and Excavation: The Results of Three Field Seasons. In
Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology - 2, edited by A. VRANICH, pp. 147-165. Los Angeles, CA: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, UCLA
2012 QUILTER, J. and M. KOONS The Fall of the Moche: A Critique of Claims for the South America’s First State. Latin American Antiquity 23(2): 127-
143
2012 QUILTER, J., R. FRANCO, C. GALVEZ, W. DOONAN, C. GAITHER, J. JIMENEZ, H. STARRATT, and M. KOONS The well and the Huaca: Ceremony,
Chronology and Culture Change at Huaca Cao Viejo, Chicama Valley, Peru. Andean Past 10: 101-131
2007 ERNENWEIN, E. and M. KOONS Subsurface Imaging at Tiwanaku. University of Arkansas, Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, Research
Paper No. 37
In Press KOONS, M. and J. D’ALPIOM GUEDES Quality vs. Quantity: Changes in Ceramic Production and Burial Practices in Neolithic China. In Renewing
the Search for Structure: New Frameworks and Techniques in the Instrumental Analysis of Archaeological Pottery, edited by A. GREENE and C.
HARTLEY. London: Equinox Publishing (January 2020)
In Review KOONS, M., M. MITCHELL, M. HERNANDEZ-BRAVO, T. HITTE, J. MOSS LOGAN and E. BAXTER. The Magic Mountain Community Archaeology
Project. Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage
Popular Publications
2019 KOONS, M. “More than Just Pieces” in Dig into History: The Moche of Peru. Editor, Rosalie Baker. pp 14-16
2018 KOONS, M. Dig into Science. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. Summer 2018
2017 KOONS, M Public “digs” Magic Mountain archaeological project. Historically Jeffco 38:8-10
2017 KOONS, M. and M. MITCHELL Magic Mountain Archaeological Project. Newsletter of the Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologist 39(3)1, 5-6
2017 KOONS, M. and M. MITCHELL Feature Article: Magic Mountain Archaeological Project. The Calumet. Newsletter of the Indian Peaks Chapter of the
Colorado Archaeological Society. pp 11-14. November, 2017
2017 KOONS, M. The Mystery of Magic Mountain. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. Summer 2017
2016 KOONS, M. Advanced Technologies Reveal New Storylines. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. Winter 2016
2015 KOONS, M. Tiwanaku Pottery. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. Winter 2015
2014 GARNEAU, N. and M. KOONS The Making of Maya Beer. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. August/ September 2014
2014 KOONS, M. The Collapse of the Maya. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. February/ March 2014
2014 KOONS, M. and S. RICHARDS Veracruz Ball Court Markers. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. February/ March 2014
2012 KOONS, M. The Moche of Ancient Peru. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Catalyst Magazine. December 2012/ January 2013
SERVICES
2020-present Program Committee Chair for the 86th Annual Meeting for the Society for American Archaeology
2020-present National Geographic Explorer Rocky Mountain Hub Coordinator
2020-present University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology's Publications Editorial Board Member
2019-present Board Member At Large, Colorado Council for Professional Archaeologists
2018-present SAA Awards Committee: Excellence in Curation, Collections-based Management, and Collections-based Research Committee
2016-present Colorado State Historical Fund, Archaeology and Historic Preservation Committee Member
2015-present SAA Committee on Museums, Collections, and Curation Member
2015-2018 SAA Public Education Committee Member
2014-present Co-founder/ organizer Rocky Mountain Pre-Columbian Society
2014-2015 AAA Annual Meeting Local Committee Member for 2015 Meeting in Denver, CO
2014 Co-Organizer of SAA Symposium on Moche Household Archaeology in Austin, TX
2011 Director for the Licapa II Public Outreach Lecture Series, Paiján, Peru
2008-2010 Coordinator for Graduate Student Symposium: Current Research in Anthropology Series, Harvard University
2007-2008 Coordinator for Andean Archaeology and Art History Working Group, Harvard University
2007-2008 Graduate Student Representative to the Faculty, Harvard University
2006 Co-Organizer of SAA Symposium: PAPA’s 2005 Research and Results from Tiwanaku, Bolivia
2004-2005 Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honors Society- Club Officer: Graduate Liaison University of Denver
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Society for American Archaeology
Register of Professional Archaeologists
American Anthropological Association
Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologists
Rocky Mountain Pre-Columbian Association (Founder)
Institute of Andean Studies Member (invited membership)
National Geographic Society Explorer
LANGUAGES
Spanish
COMPUTER SKILLS
ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, Photoscan, Surfer, AutoCAD, Filemaker Pro, Microsoft Office
To download or print a copy of my CV, please click on the attachment below:
| dr._michele_koons_cv.pdf |
