Doctoral Dissertation Research: Genomics in a colonial setting

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

This project investigates how European colonization in the Americas shaped the genetic diversity and shifting demographic and social practices within settler populations. Although numerous studies have explored the effects of European colonialism on indigenous populations, less is known about the effects of colonization on the settlers themselves. This study combines archaeological, ethnohistorical, and genetic analyses to document changes in population structure and genetic demography in a population of colonial settlers and their modern-day descendants. The project will advance our understanding of how biological and social identities emerged in the colonial Americas, and also will expand the currently very limited colonial-era genomic data from the Americas. This project provides training in archaeological and anthropological genetic methods and research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, and supports community and public science outreach. This study uses next-generation sequencing techniques, target capture, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to assess genome-wide diversity and genetic ancestry in individuals excavated from the St. George's Caye cemetery and from contemporary Belizeans who trace at least one genealogical lineage back to 18th century British Honduras. The genetic data generated will be used to answer questions about the genetic ancestry of the populations, the degree of population continuity and change, and whether or not genetic inferences of identity reflect archaeological and self-reported understandings of identity in colonial and contemporary contexts. The project merges diverse research methodologies to shed light on the processes of identity formation and ethnogenesis in colonial contexts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.