Who qualifies as an archaeologist?
Tweet How many times have you heard this: “The Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA) doesn’t mean anything; $100 a year! Why should I join?” The lack of widespread professional certifications,...
View ArticleDo archaeologists have an alternative to a college degree?
Tweet Full Disclosure: I now teach at a R1, state university. It is in my best interest for university enrollments to continue growing. Therefore, its controversial for me to second guess the...
View ArticleArchaeology PhD students: Prepare for a non-academic career
Tweet It’s hard to get a job in archaeology. Cultural resource management is where most of us land and, increasingly, this is a fact of life for those with a PhD in anthropology. No matter which degree...
View Article#metoo in cultural resource management archaeology
Tweet I am one of the millions of American men who were shocked to discover that every single woman I know has been a victim of sexual harassment. Not just some of the women I know. All of them. As a...
View ArticleMind control in cultural resource management archaeology?
Tweet Archaeologists at the Universities of Arizona, California, Berkeley, Chicago, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Michigan, Stanford, Florida, Illinois, or Pennsylvania are controlling your mind...
View Article5 Archaeology Must-Haves for 2018
Tweet It’s time for us to begin our winter celebrations. In the Western world, Santa’s sleigh bells are ringing, the menorah is going up, kinara candles are about to be lit, and celebrations for the...
View Article#SHA2018 in the Big Easy
Tweet For the first time in the 13 years I’ve been going to the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) conference, the temperature in the destination will probably be about the same as it is where...
View Article28 Tips for Attending an Archaeology Conference
Tweet I love attending archaeology conferences. Last week was the 13th time I’ve attended the Society for Historical Archaeology’s annual conference. I have also given talks at other regional and state...
View ArticleA thousand archaeology conference presentations at your fingertips
Tweet You’ve paid to attend a conference; traveled all the way to the venue. All is well, but you’re realizing several conflicts with the archaeology presentations you want to see. Some talks went...
View ArticleShould archaeology jobs should happen before college?
Tweet In 2014, I attended a workshop at the Society for American Archaeology conference in Austin that focused on building a career in archaeology. The workshop was taught by Carol Ellick and Joe...
View ArticleDoing CRM Archaeology in your 30s and 40s
Tweet It took years to land my first full-time job in cultural resource management archaeology. It took an undergraduate degree, a Master’s, and many resumes, cover letters, and conference papers. On...
View ArticleIt is okay to use your anthropology PhD in another industry
As we approach the summer, hundreds of anthropology college students are starting to seriously think about their job prospects. Students who will return to campus at the end of the summer are thinking...
View ArticleA Case for Western-Style Cultural Resource Management in Africa
Investment, development, and commerce in Africa is nothing new. Egypt is no stranger to international commerce or monumental architecture. They’ve been doing it for over 4,500 years. Procurement of...
View ArticleWhich college courses helped my archaeology career?
Tweet Last month, I noticed a familiar name in anthropology news. Current University of North Dakota dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Debbie Storrs, a former anthropology professor at my alma...
View ArticleHow fieldwork decides who gets to be a CRM archaeologist and who doesn’t
Tweet During my time in cultural resource management archaeology, I have noticed how field experience, or lack thereof, creates a separation between those archaeologists who go out in the field (A.K.A...
View ArticleCRM archaeologist: Thinking about going back to school? Read this.
Tweet As I was writing this blog post at the end of August, 2018, I started thinking about the upcoming academic school year. Courses and programs of great value to the next generation of cultural...
View ArticleWhat would archaeology look like if it were easy?
Tweet I haven’t given up on the idea of buying historical properties, fixing them up, and maintaining them as a rental property. I feel like this is also a viable way we can keep the historical fabric...
View ArticleTo the First Generation Archaeology Student
Tweet Before continuing with this post, I just have a few things to say to all the first-generation and working class college students in the United States: You matter. You are worthy of college. Your...
View ArticleMental Bandwidth, Poverty, and Archaeology
Tweet Too many archaeologists focus on scarcity. There isn’t enough grant money. Not enough cultural resource management archaeology contracts. Not enough hours in the budget to get this project done....
View ArticleMy One Wish for Cultural Resource Management Archaeology in 2019
Tweet Cultural resource management archaeology was never even mentioned during my undergraduate career. I finished my Bachelor’s degree in 2001 but didn’t learn about CRM until about a year after I’d...
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