MSU-VCNP Archaeology Field Schools: Collaborative Experiments in CRM Training

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Archaeologies of the Eastern Jemez Mountain Range and the Pajarito Plateau: Interagency Collaboration for Management of Cultural Landscapes" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Field schools serve the vital functions of training students in research methods and introducing them to the realities of field-based investigations. Beyond that, they typically have been a venue for faculty to pursue academic research agendas. In the summers of 2015 and 2016, I led field schools in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) that focused explicitly on preparing students for careers in Cultural Resource Management (CRM). I worked in collaboration with the Cultural Resources staff of the VCNP to design and complete projects that met their Section 106 and Section 110 compliance needs. The location of the field school in the Jemez Mountains facilitated student interactions with CRM professionals working in a wide range of contexts, including federal and tribal offices as well as museums and the private sector. I weigh the benefits and costs of a CRM-focused field school, emphasizing long-term student outcomes and exploring the specific challenges it presents for faculty and hosts. Finally, I discuss ideas about improving outcomes for all stakeholders.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeologies of the Eastern Jemez Mountain Range and the Pajarito Plateau: Interagency Collaboration for Management of Cultural Landscapes   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24823