Archaeologist Awarded $800,000 MacArthur Grant for Groundbreaking Research in Madagascar

In a surprising moment last month, Kristina Douglass, an archaeologist at Columbia University, received a call from the MacArthur Foundation informing her that she had been awarded a prestigious $800,000 fellowship. Douglass, who was doing the dishes at the time, was stunned by the news.

Douglass' research focuses on investigating how past human societies and environments in Madagascar co-evolved and adapted to climate variability. Much of her fieldwork takes place in the southwest region of the island nation, which she describes as "the most amazing landscape I've ever been in" – a place where the coral reef, clear blue waters, and dry desert vegetation converge.

Through her work, Douglass has uncovered valuable insights into the strategies used by ancient Malagasy communities to cope with environmental and climate change. By studying archaeological artifacts and animal remains, she has found that these communities employed a diverse range of tactics, including maintaining flexible social networks, weaving together different subsistence skills, and practicing strategic mobility.

Douglass believes that understanding how these historic societies adapted to change can provide important lessons for addressing the challenges of climate change today. She emphasizes the need to invest in community-building practices and to recognize the crucial role that Indigenous and local communities play as stewards of biodiversity worldwide.

As Douglass continues her groundbreaking research, she remains committed to distilling the fragments of the past into a cohesive story that can benefit us all in the face of the profound environmental transformations unfolding in the present.