Dr. Zach Dunseth

Associate Professor

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Biography

Zachary C. Dunseth is an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Diego, specializing in geoarchaeology and phytolith science, particularly in desert environments of the ancient Levant. His research examines the long-term trajectories of human-animal-environmental interactions in arid landscapes, focusing on how people lived, thrived, and adapted to climatic and environmental changes. He analyzes microscopic physical and chemical fingerprints left in archaeological sediments to address questions related to mobility, subsistence, and local and regional economies in the eastern Mediterranean. Professor Dunseth has supervised excavations at significant sites in modern Israel and is involved in interdisciplinary collaborations and legacy projects across Jordan, Syria, Cyprus, and Sardinia. Furthermore, he is a founding member of the International Committee on Open Phytolith Science, contributing to open science initiatives in archaeological sciences.

Research Interests

Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow

— Present

Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Brown University • Providence, RI

Conducted research in the field of archaeology and enhanced scholarly collaboration.

Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow

— Present

Babson College • Babson Park, MA

Engaged in teaching and research in archaeology.

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).