Archaeology at the University of Washington

New paper with UW Archaeology undergrad students Allie DiCiro and Nathan Mitchell! Their paper celebrates the career of UW Archaeology Professor Emeritus Julie K. Stein, on the occasion of her retirement as Director of the Burke Museum

DiCiro, A., Mitchell, N., & Marwick, B. (2024). Everything is a Deposit: An Interview with Pioneering Geoarchaeologist Julie K. Stein. Bulletin of the History of Archaeology, 34(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.5334/bha-697

Abstract: Julie Stein’s professional work was vital to the emergence and development of geoarchaeology as both a discipline and specialized community of practice among archaeologists, especially in North America. On the occasion of her retirement we interviewed Stein to document her reflections on the development of geoarchaeology. Her reflections present unique insights in the practical and intellectual challenges faced by a pioneering geoarchaeologist, especially as a woman in a field dominated by men. This interview helps to document the history of geoarchaeology from one of the preeminent leaders in the field. We present a brief summary of her education and career, including a summary of her key scholarly contributions spanning the development of geoarchaeology as a field. We present an edited transcript of our interview with Stein that includes questions about how she became a geoarchaeologist, her work with other notable geoarchaeologists, and her views on the role of geoarchaeology in archaeology today.

From Brandy Rinck:

The Seattle Area Group (SAG) of the Association for Washington Archaeology (AWA) and Burke Archaeology are hosting our next Thursday Evening Archaeology Social…

Join us at 5:00 PM for a social and networking hour to connect with your fellow students and heritage & archaeology professionals. Refreshments are provided. Beginning around 5:45 PM, we’ll hear from a variety of students, field school staff, and non-traditional training organizers as they discuss all things field school and training -- from selecting a program, to the questions you should ask, to what you might expect in the field!

When: Thursday, April 4, 2024
What Time: 5:00 - 5:45 PM (Social Hour); 5:45 - 7:00 PM (Presentations with Q&A).
The online session begins at 5.45 pm!
Where: Room 313 Denny Hall, University of Washington Campus
*You can also join us virtually from 5:45 -7:00 PM by registering on Zoom: https://bit.ly/3vfZMO8*

These Thursday Evening Archaeology meetings occur on Free First Thursdays at the Burke Museum.

Feel free to drop into the Burke either before or directly following our event!
The museum is open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Free First Thursdays and admission is *free* for all.

New paper with UW Anthropology undergrad student Yichun Chen!

"Women in the Lab, Men in the Field? Correlations between Gender and Research Topics at Three Major Archaeology Conferences":

Rising interest in gender equality in society has resulted in greater scrutiny of gender inequality in academic communities. Analysis of authorship of peer-reviewed publications shows that archaeology, like other academic fields, has long been dominated by men. We ask if gender disproportionality is evident in the topics presented by archaeologists at major conferences, particularly the Society of American Archaeology (SAA), the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), and the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) meetings. Does participants’ gender correlate with the topics of their presentations? We analyzed presenters’ names in published programs to infer gender. We used machine learning to identify topics from presentation titles. We found distinctive topics that are strongly associated with women, such as cultural heritage, GIS, and isotope analyses. Awareness of these correlations between research topics and gender is important to ensure equitable participation in archaeology and unbiased access to training opportunities for students.

https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/S6XGCSD7K8IFUB3BD6SI/full?target=10.1080/00934690.2023.2261083

Open access pre-print: https://osf.io/fsujr

Code & data: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZFB36

The Forest Service is hiring archaeology students!

These jobs are a great opportunities for students because it’s guaranteed full-time for the entire summer in their field, and they are very flexible with start and end dates to accommodate everyone’s school schedule.

Note that their federal hiring timeline is very long, and that students have to apply *this week* to be considered for the summer of 2023.

Undergrads may be eligible for GS-3 and GS-4 positions. Anthropology grad students will qualify for either a GS-5, GS-6 or a GS-7, depending on experience. So that is $17.31 to $21.44 an hour.

GS-7: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/680257700 # 23-TEMP3-R6-2362-7DT-MG

GS-6: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/680174300 23-TEMP3-R6-2361-6DT-ME

GS-5: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/680258900 23-TEMP3-R6-2360-5DT-MM

GS-4: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/680191000 23-TEMP3-R6-2359-4DT-HS

GS-3: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/680176700 23-TEMP3-R6-3257-3DT-ME

Job announcement: The University of Montana is hiring a NAGPRA coordinator/repatriation specialist/collections manager. It’s a permanent salaried position. Questions can be directed to Prof. Kelly Dixon ([email protected]).

Apply today for UW's Palaeolithic Archaeology Field School in Vietnam!

This summer A term field school will earn you 12 credits (NW/I&S) and teach you archaeological methods while excavating a site of early human settlement.

More details and application form:

Anthropology Vietnam: Palaeolithic Archaeology Field School in Vietnam | Department of Anthropology | University of Washington Learn about study abroad opportunities in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Congratulations to UW Archaeology students Li-Ying Wang, Kaylee Pruski, Eloise Potter, and Raelee Hampton on their two papers in the current issue of the SAA Archaeological Record! Their articles are available here: http://onlinedigeditions.com/publication/?m=16146&i=700116&p=3

The students worked on analysing the results of the SAA's recent survey on the Principles of Archaeological Ethics to help the Society revise the Principles. They worked with an SAA Task Force, whose members also have several articles in this special collection "Ethics Should Concern Everyone". Check it out to learn what the future of archaeological ethics might be!

📢 Archaeology PhD scholarships! 📢

ChemArch is an International Doctoral Training Network of 15 interlinked fully-funded PhD Projects on the chemistry and molecular biology of prehistoric artefacts. There are 4 participating institutions and involving 20 project partners. Commences October 2021 and recruiting now.

How to apply:

ChemArch - How to apply ChemArch is open to applicants of any nationality, subject to the eligibility criteria detailed below. Please contact us if you are unsure about these rules.

UW Archaeology Professor Sara Gonzalez was quoted in a news article published in Science today: "Fed-up archaeologists aim to fix ‘frat party’ atmosphere at field schools" https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/fed-archaeologists-aim-fix-frat-party-atmosphere-field-schools

"Well-managed, immersive field schools can build powerful and lasting bonds, says Sara Gonzalez, an archaeologist at the University of Washington, Seattle. She co-directs a field school with the Historic Preservation Office of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon on their reservation. “It’s an opportunity for students to learn directly from the tribe how to do archaeology.” The school prohibits alcohol and emphasizes inclusivity and respect. Each summer begins with discussions of what students are most excited about—and most afraid of. Together, the team comes up with principles to “minimize those fears and maximize that excitement,” Gonzalez says."

Fed-up archaeologists aim to fix ‘frat party’ atmosphere at field schools Drinking and sexual harassment spur experiments to reform core training course