Upcoming Events

Stefan Brannan, PhD, RPA, PMP, New South Associates, Inc.

Dr. Brannan currently serves as the Director of Archaeology for New South Associates, Inc., a women-owned small business providing cultural resource management services in the southeastern United States and beyond. In his current role, he serves as the administrative manager for the Archaeology Department as well as the project manager and subject matter expert for several ongoing archaeological projects. He has conducted archaeological surveys, testing, data recovery, public outreach, and consultation with and on behalf of private, state, federal, and tribal agencies. He has evaluated numerous archaeological sites for the NRHP under Section 106 and 110 of the NHPA, as well as multiple state registers. His experience encompasses Precontact period and Indigenous residential, monumental, ritual, and mortuary sites; as well as historic domestic, urban, military, and funerary sites. He has conducted projects on behalf of and in consultation with numerous state and federal agencies, including: several state Departments of Transportation, the University of Georgia, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Georgia Power Company. His active research interests include organizationally complex middle range societies, anthropological and archaeological theory, settlement archaeology, regional survey, and the applications of
project management.

This seminar is designed to equip new and experienced archaeologists with helpful tools to excel in today’s competitive job market. It will begin with an introduction on decoding job advertisements, helping participants understand important key words, qualifications, and how to identify the right opportunities. Second, a discussion will follow on crafting standout application materials, including tailored cover letters and polished CVs that highlight an applicant’s unique skills and experience. Third, participants will also gain valuable insights on interview strategies, addressing challenging questions, and standing out to potential employers. Fourth, a portion of the seminar will explore potential negotiation tactics to finalize an offer. The final segment will provide advice on the probationary period, offering guidance on meeting employer expectations and building strong relationships during the critical early days of a new position. Whether participants are seeking their first role or looking to advance, this seminar will provide actionable advice for securing and excelling in your next archaeological position.

Seminar participants will be introduced to:

1. Parsing job advertisements and determining if they are a good fit
2. Assembling application materials that increase the likelihood of an interview
3. Preparing for the interview process
4. Negotiation opportunities once an offer is made
5. Navigating the probationary period

Andrew Goldberg
Principal, Agora

Andrew Goldberg has more than three decades’ experience in public policy and advocacy. He started in politics running local and state campaigns in New York. In Washington, Andrew served as a top legislative aide to key members of Congress. At the American Institute of Architects, he rose from manager of federal regulatory relations to become senior director of federal relations and ultimately managing director of government relations and advocacy. In 2018 Andrew formed Agora, a government relations consulting firm that specializes in helping associations in the infrastructure and environment sectors grow their influence in Washington. He is also the co-founder, with former U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan, of BuildingAction, a broad-based coalition advocating for sustainable building policies.

Jonathan Elkin
Director, Governmental Affairs, Association of Public and Land Grant Universities

Jonathan Elkin serves as APLU’s Director of Governmental Affairs. In this role, he works closely with governmental affairs staff at APLU’s member institutions, advocating for federal student aid and other education programs. Prior to joining APLU, Jonathan worked for eight years as an education staffer in the U.S. House and Senate – including working with APLU to introduce and enact bipartisan legislation restoring Year-Round Pell Grants. After Capitol Hill, Jonathan helped expand bipartisan congressional support and increase funding for the Federal TRIO Programs for college access and success.

Allyson Brooks
State Historic Preservation Officer / Director, State of Washington
Co-chair, SAA Government Affairs Committee

Allyson has spent over two decades advising Governors, legislators and the Washington State congressional delegation on shaping policies that preserve our cultural heritage. Her role is complemented by robust expertise in legislative relations and environmental policy. In her work she has achieved many milestones in the protection and promotion of Washington State’s historical, cultural and environmental landscapes, including the creation of a state human remains repatriation process, raising the profile of sacred site protection, establishing the Pacific Northwest's first national heritage area, and advancing GIS technology to safeguard historic and archaeological sites.

Julia Prince-Buitenhuys
Section 106 Coordinator, Caltrans
Co-chair, SAA Government Affairs Committee

Julia is the Co-Chair of the Society of American Archaeology Government Affairs Committee (GAC. She currently works as the Section 106 Coordinator for the California Department of Transportation. She been working as a professional archaeologist for over 15 years at state and federal agencies, and CRM firms. In addition, Julia trains and practices as a career coach for anthropologists looking for new career trajectories. She has expertise in NHPA Section 106 compliance, NEPA, CEQA, GIS technology, data management, human skeletal identification, and public education. Julia collaborates to create technical, training, and strategic solutions for common challenges that arise during the Section 106 process in her professional work. Julia is working as the co-Chair of GAC to generate creative solutions that address the challenges arising from policies, laws, regulations, and decisions that affect cultural resource management and access to higher education.

David Lindsay Manager
Government Affairs, SAA

David worked on Capitol Hill for two key Members of Congress, focusing on appropriations, tax, trade, agricultural and transportation issues. Following a two year period lobbying for agricultural trade, he joined the SAA in 2002 as its government affairs manager. Since that time, he has led the Society’s advocacy program to a number of significant policy achievements at home and overseas, including the passage of the Safeguarding Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act, and the development of the World Bank’s revised environmental and cultural safeguard policies. Moreover, he and the SAA’s Government Affairs Committee has ensured that the Society’s voice is heard by policymakers for the protection of the archaeological record and jobs in the United States and around the world.

 

 

With the ongoing federal fiscal crisis, along with the change in the federal administration and in Congress, the statutes, regulations and programs that govern and implement cultural resources preservation will face unprecedented challenges. These debates will have dramatic impacts on cultural resource management, as well as the training of future archaeologists in our colleges and universities. The SAA’s Government Affairs Committee is hosting this webinar so that its members can be fully informed about the unique policy situation that confronts archaeology. Joining our panel will be government relations experts from several of our sister groups, to educate attendees on the most effective means of ensuring that our shared cultural past—and the knowledge it contains—is preserved for future generations.

1. Fully apprise SAA members on the policy situation confronting archaeology, cultural resources preservation, and higher education
2. The potential impact of these changes on heritage preservation work and the training of future archaeologists
3. How SAA members can best work to influence their elected representatives

Jeanne M. Moe, EdD, Institute for Heritage Education

Dr. Moe has more than 40 years of experience in archaeological fieldwork and analysis, heritage and archaeology education, and project management. She holds master’s degrees in both archaeology and education and a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on human cognition and constructivist learning theory, and their practical implications for archaeology education. Dr. Moe worked for BLM for 32 years, including directing the National Project Archaeology Program for 24 years, where she developed national cultural resources stewardship curricula and professional development instruction methods. She is one of the founding board members of the Institute for Heritage Education and currently serves as chair of the board. She served as the editor of Journal of Archaeology and Education from 2020 to 2023.

Education may seem simple – just tell people what you want them to know – right? I’m a good archaeologist; I will show them some data and they will get it. It doesn’t work that way. People construct understanding for themselves based on what they already know and how new information fits within existing structures of knowledge. Preconceptions and misconceptions may be difficult to detect and can block new learning. Alarmingly, sometimes our best efforts can actually start new misconceptions about archaeological practice and content.  This seminar explores the basics of human cognition and constructivist learning theory, the foundations of effective educational materials and delivery. Stewardship of archaeological sites, always an important goal of public education, must be based on sound pedagogy and compelling content for both formal and nonformal audiences.   

The Knowledge Series seminars are opportunities to learn from prominent archaeologists as they share their experiences and expertise.

Sergio Bernardes, PhD, Center for Geospatial Research, University of Georgia

Sergio Bernardes is the Associate Director for the Center for Geospatial Research and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Georgia. He holds a PhD in Geography, a MS in Remote Sensing and a BS in Agriculture Engineering. Since 1989, Dr. Bernardes has worked at the forefront of geospatial applications and software development, with expertise spanning geography, software engineering, and the implementation of large-scale geospatial projects for government, industry, and academia. An FAA-certified remote pilot, he has been pioneering the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for remote sensing since 2013. He contributes to digital humanities and cultural heritage preservation through digital documentation, 3D reconstruction, and visualization of sites and objects of historical significance.

Discover how cutting-edge technologies including drones, photogrammetry, and remote sensing are revolutionizing historical preservation in this two-hour seminar. In the first hour, you’ll learn about the principles of photogrammetry, common workflows for 3D reconstruction, and explore case studies showcasing how these techniques are used to create detailed digital twins of artifacts and historic sites. The second hour provides a hands-on demonstration where attendees will follow and learn the step-by-step process of building 3D models, from image organization to dense point cloud generation, mesh creation, and exporting final models. Whether you're a preservationist, archaeologist, or technology enthusiast, this seminar offers both foundational knowledge and practical skills to document and visualize history.

1) Learn how photogrammetry and remote sensing technologies can enhance archaeological work
2) Apply photogrammetry techniques to archaeological contexts
3) Create 3D models and point clouds for archaeological analysis