Michael Richards is an archaeological scientist who applies methods such as isotopic analysis to determine past human and animal diets and adaptations. He is a professor of Archaeology and Canada Research Chair in Archaeological Science at the Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He has published over 250 research papers, in the journals such as Nature, Science, and PNAS.