Ruijie Yao is a Ph.D. student in Ancient Mediterranean Studies. He received his B.A. with honors in Anthropology (Archaeology track) from the University of Arizona in 2021 and his M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies (Egyptology track) from the University of Chicago in 2024. His research interests include archaeological theories, remote sensing techniques, the archaeological presence of Sea Peoples assemblage in Egypt, the settlement archaeology in Ancient Egypt, and the Aegean-Egypt interaction during the Late New Kingdom to the Third Intermediate Period in Egypt. He has multiple excavation experiences in the American Southwest, China, and Israel.