I am a computational archaeologist interested in how individuals and groups respond to both large scale processes such as climate change and local processes such as violence and wealth inequality. I am currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Washington State University.
My dissertation research focuses on experimenting with paleoecological data (e.g., pollen) to assess whether or not different approaches are feasible for paleoclimatic field reconstructions. In addition, I will also use pollen data to generate vegetation (biome) reconstructions. By using tree-ring and pollen data, we can gain a better understanding of the paleoclimate and the spatial distribution of vegetation communities and how those changed over time. These data can be used to better understand changes in demography and how people responded to environmental change.
In Summer 2019, I attended the Santa Fe Institute‘s Complex Systems Summer School, where I got to work in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary international scientific community. For one of my projects, I got to merry my love of Sci-fi with complexity and agent-based modeling. Sci-fi agent-based modeling is an anthology and we wanted to build a community of collaborators for exploring sci-fi worlds. We also have an Instagram page (@Scifiabm).
I have a strong background in building and incorporating agent-based simulations for learning. Throughout my graduate career, I have worked at the Center for Connected Learning and Computer Based Modeling (CCL), developing modeling and simulation tools for learning. In particular, we develop NetLogo, the gold standard agent-based modeling environment for learners around the world. In my dissertation work, I marry biology and computer science to teach the emergent principles of ant colonies foraging for food and expanding. The work builds on more than a decade of experience in ABM. I now work at the Center for the Science and the Schools as an Assistant Professor. We delivered a curriculum to teach about COVID-19, where I incorporated ABMs into the curriculum.
You can keep up with my work at my webpage: https://kitcmartin.com
Studying the negative externalities of networks, and the ways in which those negatives feedback and support the continuities.