Jade d’Alpoim

Jade d'Alpoim Guedes's work addresses critical gaps in our understanding of how ancient societies adapted to environmental changes and how these adaptations can inform modern agricultural practices. As an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, San Diego, she brings a unique interdisciplinary approach to her research, blending environmental archaeology with ethnobiology to explore human resilience in the face of climatic and social change. Her research is particularly focused on Asia, with a strong emphasis on China, where she investigates past foraging and agricultural practices. By employing techniques such as archaeobotany and paleoclimate reconstruction, Jade d'Alpoim Guedes is able to uncover the intricate relationships between ancient societies and their environments. Her work in computational modeling further enhances our understanding of how traditional crops responded to past climate changes, providing valuable insights for contemporary agricultural systems. In collaboration with crop scientists, Jade d'Alpoim Guedes assesses the potential of traditional crops to contribute to modern agricultural resilience. Her research not only sheds light on historical human adaptation but also offers practical solutions for current and future challenges posed by climate change. One of her notable projects is an international collaboration in Jiuzhaigou National Park, where she investigates human adaptations in southwestern China over the past 10,000 years. This project exemplifies her commitment to understanding long-term human-environment interactions and their implications for sustainable development. Jade d'Alpoim Guedes's work is a testament to the importance of integrating archaeological and ethnobiological perspectives to address pressing global issues. Her contributions to the field of environmental archaeology continue to inspire new approaches to studying human adaptation and resilience in the face of environmental change.