Benjamin P Carter Associate Professor |
Education
Teaching Interests
Teaching is a way to share in learning. I teach because I love learning and sharing ways of learning with others. I prefer to teach hands-on and in the field. One of my favorite activities is teaching students how to make stone tools. Stone tools are (usually) completely foreign to them. Being able to learn how easy it is to make simple tools—and how hard it is to make complex tools—provides a new perspective about a central aspect of human existence, one that they don't get to experience. While we may not use stone tools today, understanding them opens their minds to ways of life unlike their own.
My primary mode of teaching is "in the field." Sometimes, this is in a field or on a mountain top. It might be at the Recorder of Deeds, collecting data on who owned that mountain. By taking learning on the road, students can see that the raw material for their own education is all around them. But, that data cannot be understood on its own. A telescopic view, where students zoom in and out taking in the small scale and the large, aids in the contextualization of their surroundings.
Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests
I am interested in many things, but my research has focused on two major areas. First, I study a gorgeous red/orange/purple shellfish, known as Spondylus, that was used for making beads, pendants, miniatures and more throughout much of South America starting approximately 3000 years ago. My research focuses upon the ways that the production of shell beads (many of Spondylus) is impacted by and responded to large social and political change among the Manteño and Guancavilca of coastal Ecuador.
Second, I research the history and impact of charcoal production in Pennsylvania. Charcoal powered the Industrial Revolution, especially through its use as fuel for the production of all things iron. Its production has been little studied even though it impacted the landscape across the state. While this initially began as a small project designed to get my students out into the field, it has grown. Recently, along with colleagues (including a former student) we employed remote sensing, artificial intelligence and cluster analysis to identify approximately 26,000 charcoal hearths (where the charcoal was made) within the State Game Lands of Pennsylvania. Now, we are focused on the social implications of charcoal production, including its role in the Underground Railroad.
Professional Website