Fruition A Long Journey Accomplished - 1476 Words

Bringing this dissertation to fruition was a long journey accomplished only because of the contributed efforts of many. I thank my committee—Vance Holliday, Jay Quade, Vic Baker, Barbara Mills, and Jeff Dean—for all their help, guidance, and encouragement. I feel lucky to have worked under the supervision of such an eminent group of researchers. I especially appreciate my advisor Vance Holliday, who was supportive of my decision to pursue an independent and initially unfunded project. This research was funded by a handful of sources, including the National Science Foundation (NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant #1041950; IGERT Fellowship in Archaeological Science [University of Arizona]); the Geological Society of America†¦show more content†¦Similarly, Steve Hall was a steady source of help and encouragement, especially in regard to interpreting Holocene deposits in New Mexico. Karen Adams and Susie Smith were wonderful resources on the botanical side of things. Conception of this research resulted from the convergence of a handful of important influences over the years. Alfred Bodtke encouraged my childhood rockhounding, even inviting me into his home to teach me lapidary work. My undergraduate mentor, D.L. True, inspired a fascination with Southwest prehistory, and Debbie Elliott-Fisk introduced me to Quaternary geology. During my master’s thesis work, Vance Haynes instilled the importance of meticulous chronometric control and fieldwork , and Bill Bull’s enthusiasm about climatic geomorphology was contagious. Finally, Carla Van West, Ed Huber, and Jeff Homburg introduced me to the Carrizo Wash area as part of a contract archaeology project. Obtaining permits for conducting fieldwork required navigating governmental bureaucracy, and Brenda Wilkinson (BLM), Dave Simons (BLM), and David Eck (NM State Land Office) provided invaluable help getting through the required process and paperwork. Spending extended periods of time in the field was unequivocably the most enjoyable part of my dissertation work. Our chow mix Zoi was an enthusiastic field hand, and she kept me safe and