Brief Background

I completed a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Anthropology and Human Biology and German Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. My honors thesis, supervised by Dietrich Stout, was on the topic of "Social Learning Processes in Acheulean Hand-Axe Production".

This was followed by a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Scientific Archaeology (Paleoanthropology specialization) at the University of Tübingen. The topic of my M.Sc. thesis was "Geometric Morphometrics of the Enigmatic E.688 Sacrum from the Site of Broken Hill, Kabwe, Zambia".

In 2023, I defended by PhD dissertation in Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, also at the University of Tübingen. The topic of my dissertation was "New Experimental Insights into Early Hominin Cultures and Oldowan Technology". My dissertation was awarded with the German Study Prize for Archaeology in 2023.

After the completion of my PhD, I was employed as a scientific coordinator, chiefly responsible for coordinating the application for the (now-funded) HUMAN ORIGINS Cluster of Excellence at the University of Tübingen.

Besides my academic pursuits, I work professionally as a freelance artist and graphic designer under the banner of WDS Paleo Designs. Previously, I was responsible for the cover designs for the journal PaleoAnthropology.