www.archaeological.org EXCAVATE, EDUCATE, ADVOCATE

2,600 Archaeologists and Classicists Meet in New Orleans for AIA-SCS Meeting

Reid Ferring, University of North Texas, discusses early human occupa- Outgoing Vice President for Societies, Thomas Morton, hosts the AIA tion at Dmanisi during the Presidential Plenary Session. Society Representatives Breakfast in New Orleans.

he 116th Joint Annual Meet- by Miriam Stark of the University of techniques are changing the way we ing of the Archaeological Insti- Hawaii. Her talk, “Imagining : visualize and understand the ancient tute of America (AIA) and the Politics, Myths, and ,” city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer TSociety for Classical Studies (SCS) focused on the ways remote sensing Empire from the ninth to the fifteenth brought together more than 2,600 archaeologists, classicists, educators, and exhibitors for a four-day extrava- Annual Meeting App Introduced in ganza of presentations, discussions, and opportunities for networking and New Orleans socializing. With more than 100 col- loquia, workshops, and roundtables, he AIA and SCS released a dedicated meeting app at the 2015 meeting featured the largest the New Orleans meeting. The app, available for iOS, academic program in the long history Android, and web, enabled meeting attendees to navi- of the event. The program was notable Tgate the program and create customized schedules. The app for the breadth and diversity of its ses- included both the AIA and SCS programs, venue maps, sion topics, ranging from human evolu- information about the exhibit hall, messaging capabilities, tion to the effect of current conflicts on and general information about the conference. Feedback cultural and material heritage. from meeting attendees was overwhelmingly positive. If Several sessions and workshops you were unable to attend but would like to get a detailed focused on the role of technology in look at the meeting’s offerings, the app remains live and can be accessed at archaeological research, including the www.archaeological.org/meeting/app opening night public lecture presented

68 centuries a.d. Other lectures focused exchange knowledge and information us next year in San Francisco, January on the use of digital tools to curate with their peers. Each year the meet- 6–9, 2016, for the 117th AIA-SCS archaeological data and the use of 3-D ing grows larger, with more sessions, Joint Annual Meeting. Visit the AIA imaging as a way to digitally preserve attendees, and special events. If you website, www.archaeological.org, to and interpret archaeological heritage. missed the 2015 meeting, please join find out how you can participate. These techniques and tools are making archaeological information available to anyone, anywhere, with access to a computer and the Internet. Each year, the Annual Meeting pro- AIA Hosts First-Ever Conference for vides an opportunity for archaeologists Archaeology Educators in New Orleans to present recent discoveries and new interpretations of the archaeological ore than 40 people, includ- educators aware of what their peers are record. It also provides a setting in ing museum specialists, K–12 doing and what resources are already Excavate, Educate, Advocate Educate, Excavate, which to examine important current teachers, and federal employees available, and connect newcomers to ■ issues and challenges. At the Presi- fromM around the country participated archaeological education with their dential Plenary Session, researchers in the AIA-organized conference for more experienced colleagues. discussed the latest findings from the archaeology and heritage educators, Forgoing the traditional conference site of Dmanisi in Georgia and their “Building a Strong Future for Archaeo- format of paper presentations, the pro- logical Outreach and Education.” The gram instead was interactive, consisting Guests at the Opening Night two-day conference was created to of panel discussions, roundtables, and Reception being entertained allow these dedicated and enthusiastic workshops. Topics included establish- by a traditional New Orleans professionals to evaluate the current ing ethical guidelines for outreach brass band. state of heritage education and plan programs and the diversity of state and for the future. regional approaches to outreach, evalu- The idea for the educators’ con- ation, marketing, and sustainability.

ference emerged out of discussions Topics were chosen through a survey of AIA Dispatches from the held at various events, including the more than 100 educators from around meeting of the Society for American the country. The conference proceed- Archaeology (SAA), meetings of the ings are currently being compiled and SAA’s Public Education Committee, will be made available online. and an AIA-organized education sum- We plan to make the AIA educators’ mit at Boston University. The main conference a regular event and have goals of the conference were to create already begun planning the 2016 meet- impact on our perception of early a network of archaeology and heritage ing. By providing a forum for these con- human movement out of Africa. Other educators who can work in a support- versations, the AIA reaffirms its com- lectures touched on major concerns ive and collaborative manner to build mitment to informing and educating such as threats to archaeological sites a strong future for archaeology, make the public about archaeological heritage. and museum collections in areas of conflict and archaeologists’ responses Participants in the Educators Conference to those threats. break into small groups for discussion. Special events included a lightning session for undergraduate presenta- tions, the meetings of affiliated societ- ies, networking receptions, and, for the first time, a conference for archaeology and heritage educators from around the United States and Canada. Rep- resentatives from AIA Local Societies congregated at the Society Representa- tives Breakfast to review the past year, recognize outstanding programs and individuals, share ideas, and socialize. The Annual Meeting is the Insti- tute’s largest academic event and an opportunity for archaeologists to

69 AIA Awards Recognize Outstanding Individuals and Groups xceptional work in archaeology and archaeological education is highlighted each year at the AIA EAwards Ceremony. The individuals and groups invited to the ceremony are recognized for their efforts to fur- ther the discipline of archaeology, edu- cate both professionals and laypeople, and safeguard cultural heritage. These award winners inspire their peers, students, and the public, and demon- Excavate, Educate, Advocate Educate, Excavate,

■ strate best practices in the field. The 2015 winners included AIA Award winners gather after the ceremony. C. Brian Rose, University of Penn- sylvania, Gold Medal Award for Dis- been held in New Orleans (1992, vation Award for designing a project tinguished Archaeological Achieve- 2013, and 2015). to stabilize, conserve, and protect the ment for his work in the field at Troy, Elspeth Dusinberre, James R. monumental temple and its precinct; the Granicus River Valley Survey Wiseman Book Award for Empire, rehabilitate the surrounding land- Project, and Gordion; his visionary Authority, and Autonomy in Achaeme- scape; develop and implement a com- and energetic efforts to provide cul- nid Anatolia (Cambridge University prehensive presentation strategy for tural heritage training to the members Press, 2013), an insightful interpre- the building and its environs; publish of the U.S. military serving in Iraq and tation of the material evidence that the data derived from both the origi- Afghanistan; and his highly influential addresses core issues of Persian con- nal excavation and the new project;

Dispatches from the AIA Dispatches from the role as an educator, formerly at the trol in Anatolia. develop guidelines and manuals for University of Cincinnati, and current- Allan Meyers, Felicia A. Holton different aspects of cultural resource ly at the University of Pennsylvania. Book Award for Outside the Hacienda management work; and build local Walls: The Archaeology of Plantation capacity for undertaking CRM efforts. Peonage in Nineteenth-Century Yuca- Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, tán (The Press, Annenberg Foundation, Outstanding 2012), an exemplary statement on Public Service Award for his extraor- how archaeology can be used to sup- dinary efforts in acquiring, protecting, port modern historical and ethnologi- and returning sacred artifacts to the cal research. San Carlos Apache and Hopi tribes. Nancy T. de Grummond, Florida The Ancient World Online and State University, Excellence in Under- Charles E. Jones, Pennsylvania State AIA President Andrew Moore (right) with Gold graduate Teaching Award for over 30 University, Outstanding Work in Medal recipient, C. Brian Rose. years of dedicated teaching that brings Digital Archaeology Award for work T. Douglas Price, University of the immediacy of new ideas and dis- on open-access material relating to Wisconsin, Pomerance Award for Sci- coveries directly into the classroom the ancient world and for presenting entific Contributions for his influence and instills in her students a passion archaeological information to more on the field of archaeological science, for original research. than 1.1 million unique visitors to including research that has revolu- Elizabeth Pye, University College the site, ancientworldonline.blogspot. tionized our understanding of the London, Conservation and Heritage com, since its inception in 2009. European Mesolithic, the transition Management Award for her ground- Christopher Hale, University of to agriculture, and human migration breaking efforts in transforming the Melbourne, Graduate Student Paper throughout the world. field of objects conservation into a Award (presented at the 2014 Annual Connie Rodriguez, Loyola Univer- science-based discipline, and for over Meeting) for “Central Greek and sity, Martha and Artemis Joukowsky four decades of teaching, mentoring, Kean Interconnections during the Distinguished Service Award for 25 and inspiring hundreds of students Middle Bronze Age: The Evidence years of dedication to the AIA and the from around the world. from Mitrou, East Locris.” Hale’s AIA Local Society in New Orleans Temple of the Winged Lions paper delivers significant insights and her invaluable assistance each Cultural Resource Management Ini- regarding trade in the Middle Bronze time the AIA Annual Meeting has tiative, Best Practices in Site Preser- Age Aegean.

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