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Brendan Culleton

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Email
bjc23@psu.edu
Telephone
(814) 863-6344

6 Land and Water Research Bldg
100 Hastings Rd
University Park, PA 16802

Elsevier Pure Profile
Associate Research Professor, Energy and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories

Brendan Culleton oversees the Penn State Radiocarbon Laboratory and operates the 500kV 1.5SDH-1 NEC Compact Accelerator Mass Spectrometer dedicated to radiocarbon measurement. Brendan earned his PhD in Anthropology (Archaeology) from the University of Oregon and came to Penn State as a post-doc and later research associate to develop the capacities of Human Paleoecology and Isotope Geochemistry Lab in the Department of Anthropology. He was a key member of the team that proposed and acquired the AMS in 2016 through funding from the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and as Assistant Research Professor has overseen daily operations and lab developments to the present day.

Brendan has worked with radiocarbon applications in archaeology and geochemistry since 2001, initially investigating freshwater and marine reservoirs in southern California to refine settlement and artifact chronologies, later contributing to studies of megafaunal extinction chronologies, climate-related social upheaval and transformation among the Maya, and supporting direct radiocarbon chronology building for numerous whole genome ancient DNA studies spanning the globe and the last 12000 years.

A key principle of his work and practice is sharing detailed knowledge about radiocarbon on technical and conceptual levels with colleagues—to not treat it as a mysterious “black box.” To this end, he has worked with archaeological colleagues at several universities to set up 14C prep labs to involve undergrads and grad students in hands-on sample preparation and give them direct lines of interaction with Radiocarbon Lab on their research projects.

In the News

Research Keywords

 These keywords and phrases come from the publications and other research output of this person. See other researchers related to these topics by clicking on any keyword.

Holocene
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
Radiocarbon Dating
California
North America
Ancestry
Climate Change
Classic Period
Belize
Prehistoric
Radio-carbon Dates
Ancient DNA
Maize
Maya
Mayas
Steppe
Paleoindian
Late Holocene
Mexico
Before Present

Projects

Madgascar from space
Biogeochemical, Isotopic, and Paleo-Metagenomic Interrogation of Ecosystem Change in Southwestern Madagascar

Recent Publications

EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS ON PROCESSING LEATHER, SKIN, AND PARCHMENT FOR RADIOCARBON DATING

Davis, M. A., Culleton, B. J., Rosencrance, R. L. & Jazwa, C. S., Oct 1 2024, In: Radiocarbon. 66, 5, p. 1064-1086 23 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Correction to: Genetic continuity and change among the Indigenous peoples of California (Nature, (2023), 624, 7990, (122-129), 10.1038/s41586-023-06771-5)

Nakatsuka, N., Holguin, B., Sedig, J., Langenwalter, P. E., Carpenter, J., Culleton, B. J., García-Moreno, C., Harper, T. K., Martin, D., Martínez-Ramírez, J., Porcayo-Michelini, A., Tiesler, V., Villapando-Canchola, M. E., Valdes Herrera, A., Callan, K., Curtis, E., Kearns, A., Iliev, L., Lawson, A. M. & Mah, M. & 11 others, Mallick, S., Micco, A., Michel, M., Workman, J. N., Oppenheimer, J., Qiu, L., Zalzala, F., Rohland, N., Punzo Diaz, J. L., Johnson, J. R. & Reich, D., Aug 8 2024, In: Nature. 632, 8024, p. E1

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Entwined African and Asian genetic roots of medieval peoples of the Swahili coast

Brielle, E. S., Fleisher, J., Wynne-Jones, S., Sirak, K., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Callan, K., Curtis, E., Iliev, L., Lawson, A. M., Oppenheimer, J., Qiu, L., Stewardson, K., Workman, J. N., Zalzala, F., Ayodo, G., Gidna, A. O., Kabiru, A., Kwekason, A., Mabulla, A. Z. P. & Manthi, F. K. & 24 others, Ndiema, E., Ogola, C., Sawchuk, E., Al-Gazali, L., Ali, B. R., Ben-Salem, S., Letellier, T., Pierron, D., Radimilahy, C., Rakotoarisoa, J. A., Raaum, R. L., Culleton, B. J., Mallick, S., Rohland, N., Patterson, N., Mwenje, M. A., Ahmed, K. B., Mohamed, M. M., Williams, S. R., Monge, J., Kusimba, S., Prendergast, M. E., Reich, D. & Kusimba, C. M., Mar 30 2023, In: Nature. 615, 7954, p. 866-873 8 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

REFINING CERAMIC CHRONOLOGY and EPICLASSIC REOCCUPATION at la VENTILLA, TEOTIHUACAN USING TRAPEZOIDAL BAYESIAN MODELING

Buckley, G. M., Clayton, S. C., Gómez Chávez, S., Cabrera Castro, R., Eccles, L., Culleton, B. J. & Kennett, D. J., Jun 5 2023, In: Radiocarbon. 65, 3, p. 617-641 25 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Trans–Holocene Bayesian chronology for tree and field crop use from El Gigante rockshelter, Honduras

Kennett, D. J., Harper, T. K., VanDerwarker, A., Thakar, H. B., Domic, A., Blake, M., Benz, B. F., George, R. J., Scheffler, T. E., Culleton, B. J., Kistler, L. & Hirth, K. G., Jun 2023, In: PloS one. 18, 6 June, e0287195.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Temporal and geographic extent of the late Holocene dry period in the central Great Basin, USA

Mensing, S., Wang, W., Rhode, D., Kennett, D. J., Csank, A., Thomas, D. H., Briem, C., Harper, T. K., Culleton, B. J., George, R. J. & Southon, J., Jan 15 2023, In: Quaternary Science Reviews. 300, 107900.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Genetic continuity and change among the Indigenous peoples of California

Nakatsuka, N., Holguin, B., Sedig, J., Langenwalter, P. E., Carpenter, J., Culleton, B. J., García-Moreno, C., Harper, T. K., Martin, D., Martínez-Ramírez, J., Porcayo-Michelini, A., Tiesler, V., Villapando-Canchola, M. E., Valdes Herrera, A., Callan, K., Curtis, E., Kearns, A., Iliev, L., Lawson, A. M. & Mah, M. & 11 others, Mallick, S., Micco, A., Michel, M., Workman, J. N., Oppenheimer, J., Qiu, L., Zalzala, F., Rohland, N., Punzo Diaz, J. L., Johnson, J. R. & Reich, D., Dec 7 2023, In: Nature. 624, 7990, p. 122-129 8 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Radiocarbon dates of burials from Ceibal and other Pasión Maya sites, Guatemala, and the examination of freshwater reservoir effect through diet reconstruction

Inomata, T., Sharpe, A., Palomo, J. M., Pinzón, F., Nasu, H., Triadan, D., Culleton, B. J. & Kennett, D. J., Aug 2022, In: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 44, 103506.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Drought-Induced Civil Conflict Among the Ancient Maya

Kennett, D. J., Masson, M., Lope, C. P., Serafin, S., George, R. J., Spencer, T. C., Hoggarth, J. A., Culleton, B. J., Harper, T. K., Prufer, K. M., Milbrath, S., Russell, B. W., González, E. U., McCool, W. C., Aquino, V. V., Paris, E. H., Curtis, J. H., Marwan, N., Zhang, M. & Asmerom, Y. & 9 others, Polyak, V. J., Carolin, S. A., James, D. H., Mason, A. J., Henderson, G. M., Brenner, M., Baldini, J. U. L., Breitenbach, S. F. M. & Hodell, D. A., Dec 2022, In: Nature communications. 13, 1, 3911.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

South-to-north migration preceded the advent of intensive farming in the Maya region

Kennett, D. J., Lipson, M., Prufer, K. M., Mora-Marín, D., George, R. J., Rohland, N., Robinson, M., Trask, W. R., Edgar, H. H. J., Hill, E. C., Ray, E. E., Lynch, P., Moes, E., O’Donnell, L., Harper, T. K., Kate, E. J., Ramos, J., Morris, J., Gutierrez, S. M. & Ryan, T. M. & 3 others, Culleton, B. J., Awe, J. J. & Reich, D., Dec 2022, In: Nature communications. 13, 1, 1530.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

A genetic probe into the ancient and medieval history of Southern Europe and West Asia

Lazaridis, I., Alpaslan-Roodenberg, S., Acar, A., Açıkkol, A., Agelarakis, A., Aghikyan, L., Akyüz, U., Andreeva, D., Andrijašević, G., Antonović, D., Armit, I., Atmaca, A., Avetisyan, P., Aytek, A. I., Bacvarov, K., Badalyan, R., Bakardzhiev, S., Balen, J., Bejko, L. & Bernardos, R. & 186 others, Bertsatos, A., Biber, H., Bilir, A., Bodružić, M., Bonogofsky, M., Bonsall, C., Borić, D., Borovinić, N., Morante, G. B., Buttinger, K., Callan, K., Candilio, F., Carić, M., Cheronet, O., Chohadzhiev, S., Chovalopoulou, M. E., Chryssoulaki, S., Ciobanu, I., Čondić, N., Constantinescu, M., Cristiani, E., Culleton, B. J., Curtis, E., Davis, J., Davtyan, R., Demcenco, T. I., Dergachev, V., Derin, Z., Deskaj, S., Devejyan, S., Djordjević, V., Carlson, K. S. D., Eccles, L. R., Elenski, N., Engin, A., Erdogan, N., Erir-Pazarcı, S., Fernandes, D. M., Ferry, M., Freilich, S., Frînculeasa, A., Galaty, M. L., Gamarra, B., Gasparyan, B., Gaydarska, B., Genç, E., Gültekin, T., Gündüz, S., Hajdu, T., Heyd, V., Hobosyan, S., Hovhannisyan, N., Iliev, I., Iliev, L., Iliev, S., Ivgin, I., Janković, I., Jovanova, L., Karkanas, P., Kavaz-Kındıgılı, B., Kaya, E. H., Keating, D., Kennett, D. J., Kesici, S. D., Khudaverdyan, A., Kiss, K., Kılıç, S., Klostermann, P., Valdes, S. K. B. N., Kovačević, S., Krenz-Niedbała, M., Škrivanko, M. K., Kurti, R., Kuzman, P., Lawson, A. M., Lazar, C., Leshtakov, K., Levy, T. E., Liritzis, I., Lorentz, K. O., Łukasik, S., Mah, M., Mallick, S., Mandl, K., Martirosyan-Olshansky, K., Matthews, R., Matthews, W., McSweeney, K., Melikyan, V., Micco, A., Michel, M., Milašinović, L., Mittnik, A., Monge, J. M., Nekhrizov, G., Nicholls, R., Nikitin, A. G., Nikolov, V., Novak, M., Olalde, I., Oppenheimer, J., Osterholtz, A., Özdemir, C., Özdogan, K. T., Öztürk, N., Papadimitriou, N., Papakonstantinou, N., Papathanasiou, A., Paraman, L., Paskary, E. G., Patterson, N., Petrakiev, I., Petrosyan, L., Petrova, V., Philippa-Touchais, A., Piliposyan, A., Kuzman, N. P., Potrebica, H., Preda-Balanica, B., Premužić, Z., Douglas Price, T., Qiu, L., Radović, S., Aziz, K. R., Šikanjić, P. R., Raheem, K. R., Razumov, S., Richardson, A., Roodenberg, J., Ruka, R., Russeva, V., Şahin, M., Şarbak, A., Savaş, E., Schattke, C., Schepartz, L., Selçuk, T., Sevim-Erol, A., Shamoon-Pour, M., Shephard, H. M., Sideris, A., Simalcsik, A., Simonyan, H., Sinika, V., Sirak, K., Sirbu, G., Šlaus, M., Soficaru, A., Sögüt, B., Sołtysiak, A., Sönmez-Sözer, Ç., Stathi, M., Steskal, M., Stewardson, K., Stocker, S., Suata-Alpaslan, F., Suvorov, A., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Szeniczey, T., Telnov, N., Temov, S., Todorova, N., Tota, U., Touchais, G., Triantaphyllou, S., Türker, A., Ugarković, M., Valchev, T., Veljanovska, F., Videvski, Z., Virag, C., Wagner, A., Walsh, S., Włodarczak, P., Noah Workman, J., Yardumian, A., Yarovoy, E., Yavuz, A. Y., Yılmaz, H., Zalzala, F., Zettl, A., Zhang, Z., Çavuşoglu, R., Rohland, N., Pinhasi, R. & Reich, D., Aug 26 2022, In: Science. 377, 6609, 377.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Ancient DNA from Mesopotamia suggests distinct Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic migrations into Anatolia

Lazaridis, I., Alpaslan-Roodenberg, S., Acar, A., Açıkkol, A., Agelarakis, A., Aghikyan, L., Akyüz, U., Andreeva, D., Andrijašević, G., Antonović, D., Armit, I., Atmaca, A., Avetisyan, P., Aytek, A. İ., Bacvarov, K., Badalyan, R., Bakardzhiev, S., Balen, J., Bejko, L. & Bernardos, R. & 186 others, Bertsatos, A., Biber, H., Bilir, A., Bodružić, M., Bonogofsky, M., Bonsall, C., Borić, D., Borovinić, N., Morante, G. B., Buttinger, K., Callan, K., Candilio, F., Carić, M., Cheronet, O., Chohadzhiev, S., Chovalopoulou, M. E., Chryssoulaki, S., Ciobanu, I., Čondić, N., Constantinescu, M., Cristiani, E., Culleton, B. J., Curtis, E., Davis, J., Davtyan, R., Demcenco, T. I., Dergachev, V., Derin, Z., Deskaj, S., Devejyan, S., Djordjević, V., Carlson, K. S. D., Eccles, L. R., Elenski, N., Engin, A., Erdoğan, N., Erir-Pazarcı, S., Fernandes, D. M., Ferry, M., Freilich, S., Frînculeasa, A., Galaty, M. L., Gamarra, B., Gasparyan, B., Gaydarska, B., Genç, E., Gültekin, T., Gündüz, S., Hajdu, T., Heyd, V., Hobosyan, S., Hovhannisyan, N., Iliev, I., Iliev, L., Iliev, S., İvgin, İ., Janković, I., Jovanova, L., Karkanas, P., Kavaz-Kındığılı, B., Kaya, E. H., Keating, D., Kennett, D. J., Kesici, S. D., Khudaverdyan, A., Kiss, K., Kılıç, S., Klostermann, P., Valdes, S. K. B. N., Kovačević, S., Krenz-Niedbała, M., Škrivanko, M. K., Kurti, R., Kuzman, P., Lawson, A. M., Lazar, C., Leshtakov, K., Levy, T. E., Liritzis, I., Lorentz, K. O., Łukasik, S., Mah, M., Mallick, S., Mandl, K., Martirosyan-Olshansky, K., Matthews, R., Matthews, W., McSweeney, K., Melikyan, V., Micco, A., Michel, M., Milašinović, L., Mittnik, A., Monge, J. M., Nekhrizov, G., Nicholls, R., Nikitin, A. G., Nikolov, V., Novak, M., Olalde, I., Oppenheimer, J., Osterholtz, A., Özdemir, C., Özdoğan, K. T., Öztürk, N., Papadimitriou, N., Papakonstantinou, N., Papathanasiou, A., Paraman, L., Paskary, E. G., Patterson, N., Petrakiev, I., Petrosyan, L., Petrova, V., Philippa-Touchais, A., Piliposyan, A., Kuzman, N. P., Potrebica, H., Preda-Bălănică, B., Premužić, Z., Price, T. D., Qiu, L., Radović, S., Aziz, K. R., Šikanjić, P. R., Raheem, K. R., Razumov, S., Richardson, A., Roodenberg, J., Ruka, R., Russeva, V., Şahin, M., Şarbak, A., Savaş, E., Schattke, C., Schepartz, L., Selçuk, T., Sevim-Erol, A., Shamoon-Pour, M., Shephard, H. M., Sideris, A., Simalcsik, A., Simonyan, H., Sinika, V., Sirak, K., Sirbu, G., Šlaus, M., Soficaru, A., Söğüt, B., Sołtysiak, A., Sönmez-Sözer, Ç., Stathi, M., Steskal, M., Stewardson, K., Stocker, S., Suata-Alpaslan, F., Suvorov, A., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Szeniczey, T., Telnov, N., Temov, S., Todorova, N., Tota, U., Touchais, G., Triantaphyllou, S., Türker, A., Ugarković, M., Valchev, T., Veljanovska, F., Videvski, Z., Virag, C., Wagner, A., Walsh, S., Włodarczak, P., Workman, J. N., Yardumian, A., Yarovoy, E., Yavuz, A. Y., Yılmaz, H., Zalzala, F., Zettl, A., Zhang, Z., Çavuşoğlu, R., Rohland, N., Pinhasi, R. & Reich, D., Aug 26 2022, In: Science. 377, 6609, p. 982-987 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The genetic history of the Southern Arc: A bridge between West Asia and Europe

Lazaridis, I., Alpaslan-Roodenberg, S., Acar, A., Açıkkol, A., Agelarakis, A., Aghikyan, L., Akyüz, U., Andreeva, D., Andrijašević, G., Antonović, D., Armit, I., Atmaca, A., Avetisyan, P., Aytek, A. I., Bacvarov, K., Badalyan, R., Bakardzhiev, S., Balen, J., Bejko, L. & Bernardos, R. & 186 others, Bertsatos, A., Biber, H., Bilir, A., Bodružić, M., Bonogofsky, M., Bonsall, C., Borić, D., Borovinić, N., Morante, G. B., Buttinger, K., Callan, K., Candilio, F., Carić, M., Cheronet, O., Chohadzhiev, S., Chovalopoulou, M. E., Chryssoulaki, S., Ciobanu, I., Čondić, N., Constantinescu, M., Cristiani, E., Culleton, B. J., Curtis, E., Davis, J., Davtyan, R., Demcenco, T. I., Dergachev, V., Derin, Z., Deskaj, S., Devejyan, S., Djordjević, V., Carlson, K. S. D., Eccles, L. R., Elenski, N., Engin, A., Erdogan, N., Erir-Pazarcı, S., Fernandes, D. M., Ferry, M., Freilich, S., Frînculeasa, A., Galaty, M. L., Gamarra, B., Gasparyan, B., Gaydarska, B., Genç, E., Gültekin, T., Gündüz, S., Hajdu, T., Heyd, V., Hobosyan, S., Hovhannisyan, N., Iliev, I., Iliev, L., Iliev, S., Ivgin, I., Janković, I., Jovanova, L., Karkanas, P., Kavaz-Kındıgılı, B., Kaya, E. H., Keating, D., Kennett, D. J., Kesici, S. D., Khudaverdyan, A., Kiss, K., Kılıç, S., Klostermann, P., Valdes, S. K. B. N., Kovačević, S., Krenz-Niedbała, M., Škrivanko, M. K., Kurti, R., Kuzman, P., Lawson, A. M., Lazar, C., Leshtakov, K., Levy, T. E., Liritzis, I., Lorentz, K. O., Łukasik, S., Mah, M., Mallick, S., Mandl, K., Martirosyan-Olshansky, K., Matthews, R., Matthews, W., McSweeney, K., Melikyan, V., Micco, A., Michel, M., Milašinović, L., Mittnik, A., Monge, J. M., Nekhrizov, G., Nicholls, R., Nikitin, A. G., Nikolov, V., Novak, M., Olalde, I., Oppenheimer, J., Osterholtz, A., Özdemir, C., Özdogan, K. T., Öztürk, N., Papadimitriou, N., Papakonstantinou, N., Papathanasiou, A., Paraman, L., Paskary, E. G., Patterson, N., Petrakiev, I., Petrosyan, L., Petrova, V., Philippa-Touchais, A., Piliposyan, A., Kuzman, N. P., Potrebica, H., Preda-Balanica, B., Premužić, Z., Douglas Price, T., Qiu, L., Radović, S., Aziz, K. R., Šikanjić, P. R., Raheem, K. R., Razumov, S., Richardson, A., Roodenberg, J., Ruka, R., Russeva, V., Şahin, M., Şarbak, A., Savaş, E., Schattke, C., Schepartz, L., Selçuk, T., Sevim-Erol, A., Shamoon-Pour, M., Shephard, H. M., Sideris, A., Simalcsik, A., Simonyan, H., Sinika, V., Sirak, K., Sirbu, G., Šlaus, M., Soficaru, A., Sögüt, B., Sołtysiak, A., Sönmez-Sözer, Ç., Stathi, M., Steskal, M., Stewardson, K., Stocker, S., Suata-Alpaslan, F., Suvorov, A., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Szeniczey, T., Telnov, N., Temov, S., Todorova, N., Tota, U., Touchais, G., Triantaphyllou, S., Türker, A., Ugarković, M., Valchev, T., Veljanovska, F., Videvski, Z., Virag, C., Wagner, A., Walsh, S., Włodarczak, P., Noah Workman, J., Yardumian, A., Yarovoy, E., Yavuz, A. Y., Yılmaz, H., Zalzala, F., Zettl, A., Zhang, Z., Çavuşoglu, R., Rohland, N., Pinhasi, R. & Reich, D., Aug 26 2022, In: Science. 377, 6609, eabm4247.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Ancient DNA and deep population structure in sub-Saharan African foragers

Lipson, M., Sawchuk, E. A., Thompson, J. C., Oppenheimer, J., Tryon, C. A., Ranhorn, K. L., de Luna, K. M., Sirak, K. A., Olalde, I., Ambrose, S. H., Arthur, J. W., Arthur, K. J. W., Ayodo, G., Bertacchi, A., Cerezo-Román, J. I., Culleton, B. J., Curtis, M. C., Davis, J., Gidna, A. O. & Hanson, A. & 24 others, Kaliba, P., Katongo, M., Kwekason, A., Laird, M. F., Lewis, J., Mabulla, A. Z. P., Mapemba, F., Morris, A., Mudenda, G., Mwafulirwa, R., Mwangomba, D., Ndiema, E., Ogola, C., Schilt, F., Willoughby, P. R., Wright, D. K., Zipkin, A., Pinhasi, R., Kennett, D. J., Manthi, F. K., Rohland, N., Patterson, N., Reich, D. & Prendergast, M. E., Mar 10 2022, In: Nature. 603, 7900, p. 290-296 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Ancient DNA reveals five streams of migration into Micronesia and matrilocality in early Pacific seafarers

Liu, Y. C., Hunter-Anderson, R., Cheronet, O., Eakin, J., Camacho, F., Pietrusewsky, M., Rohland, N., Ioannidis, A., Athens, J. S., Douglas, M. T., Ikehara-Quebral, R. M., Bernardos, R., Culleton, B. J., Mah, M., Adamski, N., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Callan, K., Lawson, A. M., Mandl, K. & Michel, M. & 20 others, Oppenheimer, J., Stewardson, K., Zalzala, F., Kidd, K., Kidd, J., Schurr, T. G., Auckland, K., Hill, A. V. S., Mentzer, A. J., Quinto-Cortés, C. D., Robson, K., Kennett, D. J., Patterson, N., Bustamante, C. D., Moreno-Estrada, A., Spriggs, M., Vilar, M., Lipson, M., Pinhasi, R. & Reich, D., Jul 1 2022, In: Science. 377, 6601, p. 72-79 8 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review