Matthew Walls, University of Calgary

Research

Arctic archaeology human ecology co-creation of research communities of practice climate change deep history public engagement biodiversity policymaking

Latest papers

Human-Dog Symbiosis and Ecological Dynamics in the Arctic.
Evolutionary anthropology · 2025 · senior author
Tracing early pastoralism in Central Europe using sedimentary ancient DNA.
Current biology : CB · 2024 · senior author

All 2 publications

Latest funding

Fire and Ancient Forest Stewardship: Assessing Human Agency in the Post-Glacial Biodiversity of Central Europe
SSHRC · 2025 · Principal investigator
$93,677
A Molecular Perspective on Hunter-Gatherer Creativity in the Mesolithic of Northern Bohemia
SSHRC · 2018 · Principal investigator
$69,762
Inughuit creativity and environmental responsiveness in NW Greenland
SSHRC · 2018 · Principal investigator
$231,495

All 3 grants and awards

2 publications.

01

Human-Dog Symbiosis and Ecological Dynamics in the Arctic.

Vitale E, Feuerborn TR, Walls M

Evolutionary anthropology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/evan.70009 PMID: 40708129

02

Tracing early pastoralism in Central Europe using sedimentary ancient DNA.

Zampirolo G, Holman LE, Sawafuji R, Ptáková M, Kovačiková L, Šída P, Pokorný P, Pedersen MW, Walls M

Current biology : CB2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.047 PMID: 39305897

Fire and Ancient Forest Stewardship: Assessing Human Agency in the Post-Glacial Biodiversity of Central Europe

Principal investigatorSSHRC2025Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Walls, Matthew D.

Keywords: Social-Ecological Systems; Historical Ecology; Sedimentary DNA; Ecological Succession; Controlled Fires; Pyrodiversity; Early Holocene; Climate Change and Forest Fires; Anthropocene

$93,677

A Molecular Perspective on Hunter-Gatherer Creativity in the Mesolithic of Northern Bohemia

Principal investigatorSSHRC2018Insight Development Grant

Principal investigators: Walls, Matthew

Keywords: (1) Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology; (2) Mesolithic; (3) Ecological Succession; (4) Anthropogenic Fire; (5) Controlled Burns; (6) Sedimentary DNA; (7) Environmental DNA/Metagenomics; (8) Historical Ecology; (9) Creativity and Environmental Management; (10) Anthropocene

$69,762

Inughuit creativity and environmental responsiveness in NW Greenland

Principal investigatorSSHRC2018Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Walls, Matthew D.

Keywords: Arctic archaeology; human ecology; co-creation of research; communities of practice; climate change; deep history; public engagement; biodiversity policymaking; ethnoarchaeology; archaeology of learning and practice

$231,495

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their SSHRC grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Arctic archaeology Dear Professor Walls, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Human-Dog Symbiosis and Ecological Dynamics in the Arctic." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your SSHRC-funded project "Fire and Ancient Forest Stewardship: Assessing Human Agency in the Post-Glacial Biodiversity of Central Europe" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]