Caroline (Carrie) Parris joined the Office of the State Archaeologist in 2021 as Research Collections Director. Carrie earned a B.A. in anthropology from Sewanee: The University of the South (2008) and an M.A. (2011) and a Ph.D. (2022) in anthropology from Tulane University. Her Ph.D. dissertation explored the nuances of commensality and feasting among the Late Classic Maya of La Corona, Guatemala. Her academic interests include ancient Maya social dynamics, Maya ceramics, material culture, and museum collections. 

As Research Collections Director, Carrie manages the collections held at the OSA, including those in the State Archaeological Repository of Iowa and various collections of comparative materials. Carrie also oversees the daily operations in the OSA lab such as artifact analysis, preparing collections for curation, and soil sample flotation. 

Contact her regarding artifact curation and donation, loans of artifacts and other materials for research or display, research inquiries, and volunteering or interning opportunities.