Katie M. Biittner
katie.biittner@ualberta.ca
The Department of Anthropology
13-15 HM Tory Building
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Canada
T6G 2H4
Current Research
The objective of my PhD research is to analyze and source the lithic artifact assemblages from Mlambalasi and Magubike, two rockshelters in southern Tanzania, in order to infer the mobility patterns of the people who produced them. This will be accomplished using macroscopic and microscopic (petrographic and palynological) techniques. Ultimately, this research will illuminate technological and socio-economic behavior during a period which is thought to coincide with the appearance of behavioral and anatomical modernity - the origins of modern humans.
Degrees
B.A. (honours), University of Alberta. Honors Thesis: Neutron Activation Analysis of Chert Debitage from Archaeological Site HirRo-010, in northeastern British Columbia.
M.A., Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario. Master's Thesis: Organisation of Technology and Chert Raw Material Utilization at the Bark Site, Southern Ontario.
PhD Candidate, University of Alberta. Proposed PhD Dissertation: Lithic Sourcing and Human Mobility during the Middle Stone Age in Southern Tanzania.
Publications
Biittner, K.M., P.M. Bushozi, and P. Willoughby
2007 The Middle Stone Age of Iringa Region, Tanzania. Nyame Akuma 68:62-73.
Biittner, K.M. and S.M. Jamieson
2006 Chert Raw Material Utilization at the Bark Site (BbGp-12), Peterborough County, Southern Ontario. Ontario Archaeology 81/82: 13-29.
Conference Papers
Biittner, K.M.
2008 Raw Material Variability in MSA (& LSA) Lithic Assemblages from Iringa Region, Tanzania. Paper presented at the 2008 SAfA conference, Frankfurt, Germany.
2006 Compositional Characterization by NAA of Chert Debitage from Archaeological Site HiRo-010. Paper presented at the AGAS/UAAU Student Conference.
Miles, K.M.
2005 Utilisation of Petrographic and Palynological Analysis in Chert Artifact Sourcing: Understanding Lithic Assemblage Variability. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the SAA, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Posters
Biittner, K.M.
2008 Stone raw material utilisation during the MSA in southern Tanzania. Poster presented at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the SAA, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Selected Experience
Research Assistant, Outreach Program, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Alberta. September 2007 - present.
Instructor, Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta: Anthr101- Introductory Anthropology. Winter Term 2008.
Awards
2008-2009 SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship
2006 GSA Professional Development Grant, University of Alberta
2005-2009 Graduate Assistantship, University of Alberta
2005 Provost Doctoral Entrance Award, University of Alberta.
2003 SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship (Master's).
2003 Richard B. Johnston Scholarship, Trent University.