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For
three years, 2005-2007, the IPFW Archaeological Survey conducted a
Research Experience for Undergraduates in archaeological applications
of geophysics, funded by the National Science Foundation.
Our REU program is currently inactive. Please watch this space for updates on results from our three years of productive work.
Program Summary:
The core intellectual focus of the REU project is to bring students
to an understanding of the processes and practice of science in general,
and archaeological hypothesis-building, data collection, and analysis in particular,
through “hands-on” instruction. By learning technical skills,
organizing ideas, applying methodological approaches to a problem, collecting
and analyzing data, and testing interpretations, students will gain a realistic
appreciation of how science is practiced in the real world. The setting
of the project, in an environment that encourages interaction with the public,
will strengthen student appreciation for the challenges and rewards of combining
public outreach with research.
The program is structured around eight weeks of intensive summer
learning. Six weeks will be held in the field, and will be centered
on training and instruction in the collection and use of geophysical remote
sensing equipment in the context of a planned research design. A newly
constructed 5000 square foot facility is available at the field site, housing
an archaeological laboratory, curation facility, classroom, and exhibit
space for student projects. Two weeks will involve primarily classroom
and laboratory instruction, and will be held at the IPFW campus. Following completion of
the summer portion of the course, students will present their work at both
a local public forum and at a professional meetings at the state and/or
regional levels.
The over-riding goal of the REU is to encourage talented undergraduates
to pursue professional careers in the sciences by giving them the technical
skills, confidence, and discipline necessary to formulate, implement, and
complete their own research projects within the larger framework of the IPFW-AS’s
ongoing
work and within a context of interaction with the public and engagement
with a variety of ethical issues that figure prominently in modern archaeological
research.
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