Homol'ovi Undergraduate Research Opportunities - Summer 2008

Homol'ovi Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

Opportunities for undergraduate students to participate

in

archaeological field research and public outreach

at

the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park,

Winslow, Arizona

Sponsored by

The National Science Foundation’s

Research Experiences for Undergradates Program (REU)

and

The University of Michigan’s Museum of Anthropology

June 6-July 18, 2008

*** APPLICATION DEADLINE ***

March 3, 2008 for NSF-REU interns

Field school positions are accepted until positions are filled

2007 HUROP excavations at Creswell Pueblo by RW Lord

               Through the NSF-REU sites program, the University of Michigan’s Museum of Anthropology offers six-week summer field experience to ten undergraduate interns and five field school students interested in archaeological field research and public outreach.   Students will participate in on-going investigations of an archaeological site and conduct independent research projects that will be integrated into public outreach programs at the Homolovi Ruins State Park.   Working as part of a team, students will learn to excavate and record archaeological remains, to map archaeological sites, and to analyze the artifacts they have unearthed.  Students will go on weekend field trips to learn about regional archaeology, the American Indian tribes of northeastern Arizona, and techniques used to interpret archaeology to the general public.

Educational Objectives

            The Homol'ovi Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (HUROP) integrates archaeology and public outreach to teach students about the methods and processes involved in archaeological fieldwork and the skills necessary to communicate information about scientific research and its results in a meaningful way to the general public.  The goal of this program is to provide students with hands-on experience in archaeological research and real-world training in public outreach. The integration of archaeology with public outreach creates a dynamic environment where students learn about scientific research and, in turn, share what they have learned with the public.  Through interactions with the public and their involvement with interpretive activities, students will also grapple with ethical issues facing archaeologists and museum professionals.

Research Experiences

            The research undertaken by HUROP focuses on a critical transition in southwestern prehistory, specifically the shift from semi-subterranean to above-ground houses, also known as “the pithouse-to-pueblo transition.”  This change in house form has been argued to correlate with a fundamental transformation in village organization.  The Homol’ovi area provides an excellent opportunity for examining the pithouse-to-pueblo transition because pithouses were used during the Pueblo III period (A.D. 1100-1225) – a time when many other groups had already adopted pueblo-style architecture.  Students will participate in research that investigates why Homol'ovi area households continued to build pithouses during the 12^th century A.D. and whether late pithouse communities were organized differently than nearby pueblos.  Excavations during the 2008 field season will be conducted at the pithouse village next to the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park Visitors Center.

            Through participation in excavations, site visits, and evening lectures, students will learn about the dynamic culture history of the Homol'ovi area.  Using this information, students will conduct research projects on topics related to the archaeology of this area.  Through these research projects, students will learn to integrate information from archaeological fieldwork with broader questions about human behavior and to communicate this often complex and highly technical knowledge with an interested but nonprofessional audience. Students will have the opportunity to work on a variety of public outreach projects, such as revisions to the exhibits in the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park vistors center, an on-line journal of the excavations (see www.hurop.wordpress.com for 2007 excavations), and an annual openhouse at the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park (July 12, 2008).

photo of 2007 HUROP students at park openhouse by Ray Silverman

Faculty Mentors

            To help students integrate archaeological research with public outreach, HUROP brings together archaeologists who are actively conducting research in the area with professionals who specialize in museums and public outreach.  The program director and principal investigator, Dr. Lisa Young, has directed numerous field projects in the Homol'ovi area and has a long-term research interest in the pre-1250 A.D. occupation of the area.  She is also involved in projects that communicate information about archaeology and American Indians to the public.  Young is joined by three other archaeologists who have worked in the Homol'ove area for years: Dr. E. Charles Adams and Richard Lange of the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona and Dr. Douglas Gann. Adams and Lange direct the Homol'ove Research Program and have undertaken numberous research projects in the Homol'ovi area (http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/arch/arcprojs.shtml).  Dr. Douglas Gann, Center for Desert Archaeology (http://www.cdarc.org/pages/about/dou.php), combines his numerous years of archaeological fieldwork and research on architecture in the Homol'ovi area with computer and digital technologies to create virtual models of archaeological sites. Together, Young, Adams, Lange and Gann bring decades of experience on the archaeology of the Homol'ovi area and important perspectives on sharing archaeology with the public.

Two additional faculty mentors, Susan Secakuku and Dr. Raymond Silverman, are museum professionals, who will share their perspectives and knowledge about communicating information to various audiences. Dr. Silverman is the director of the Museum Studies Program at the University of Michigan (www.umich.edu/~ummsp/overview.htm) and has extensive experience teaching museum studies courses, organizing insightful symposia on museum issues, and developing displays on the art of indigenous peoples. Ms. Secakuku (www.musnaz.org/education/secakuku.html) is a member of the Hope Tribe and works cooperatively with museums, cultural centers, libraries and Native peoples throughout the Americas.  In addition to the faculty mentors, interns will also work closely with three graduate students in archaeology during the field component of the project and will receive help with their public outreach projects from a graduate intern in the University of Michigan Museum Studies Program.

Project Location

            Archaeologcial field and laboratory work will be conducted at the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park (www.pr.state.az.us/parks/parkhtml/homolovi.html), located just north of Winslow, Arizona. Winslow is less than an hour drive east of Flagstaff on I-40. Students and staff will live in a local dormitory or at the Homol'ovi Ruins State Park.

Schedule

            During the six week field season, weekdays will be spent excavating, mapping, or in the laboratory for artifact processing, analysis, and project research.  Evening lectures and discussions will be held several times a week.  Students will also participate in Saturday fieldtrips.  Sundays will generally be free days.

Application Procedure and Costs

To apply, please submit:

1. an application form

2. your curriculum vitae (click here for instructions on how to prepare a CV)

3. unofficial transcript from undergraduate institution

4. two letters of recommendation for NSF internships only (click here for letter of recommendation form)

Applicants must have at least a B or 3.0 grade point average.    Selection will be based on an applicant’s experiences, interest in the program, and background (as seen in CV and answers to the essays).  NSF-REU internship applications must be submitted by March 3, 2008.  Students will be notified of acceptance by the end of March. 

Fieldschool applications will be accepted until the program fills but students are encouraged to apply by early March when selection of participants for the program will begin.

NSF-REU internships (10 positions)

Interns will receive a stipend of $310/week and NO academic credit hours. Room and board costs are covered by HUROP.

To apply for an NSF-REU internship, you must be:

1. a U.S. citizen or premanent resident

2. an undergraduate student, who is registered for classes at the time of application and who will not graduate prior to the end of the program

Students with backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in archaeology, museum studies, and the sciences in general are encouraged to apply for the NSF-REU interships.  Students from institutions which offer limited research opportunities are also encouraged to apply.  Priority will be given to advanced undergraduates.

U of M Field School (5 positions)

Field School students will receive 6 credit hours (Anthrac 497.201, summer session). The tuition is the same as on-campus credits (estimated to be between $2500 and $2700 for in-state students and $7000 to $7500 for out-of-state). There will also be a room and board fee of $600. Small scholarships may be available for field school students.

ALL accepted students are responsible for the cost of travel to the project location and for the purchase of small field and personal supplies (detailed information will be provided at time of acceptance to the program).    Students are also responsible for providing their own medical insurance that will cover any medical treatments or emergencies during the program.

Please send completed applications and questions to:

Dr. Lisa C. Young

Homol'ovi Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

University of Michigan

Museum of Anthropology

1109 Geddes Ave.

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079

(734) 764-0485

Fax: (734) 763-7783

Email: lcyoung@umich.edu