Ellen and Charles Steinmetz Endowment for Archaeology Grant

The Ellen and Charles Steinmetz Endowment for Archaeology, supported by the Archaeological Institute of America, aims to promote innovative archaeological research using technology. Grants of up to $8,500 are available for projects addressing significant questions about the human past through technological means. Priority is given to early-career archaeologists. This endowment fosters appreciation and preservation of cultural heritage, encouraging diverse approaches to archaeological inquiry.

Purpose
Projects may concern any location in the world and any time period, but must be designed to address important questions about the human past specifically through technological means. “Technology” should be understood broadly to include not only digital tools and approaches, but also those developed in engineering, chemistry, biology, physics, etc.
Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed according to the following criteria (roughly in this order of importance):
The fit between the project and the mission of the Steinmetz EndowmentThe impact the research will have on our understanding of the past and on the use of technology in archaeologyThe level of innovation in the use of technologyThe feasibility of the project itself (how realistic its methods and goals are, in conjunction with its budget and timeline)The possession of, or the documented ability to acquire, the necessary permits (if applicable)The impact support from the Steinmetz Endowment will have on the overall success of the project (we assume that few projects will derive all their support from this source alone)The qualifications of the applicant (training, demonstrated research productivity, knowledge of/experience in the research region)The quality and feasibility of the publication plan, and (if digital data are involved) of the data management plan
Amount
Two awards up to $8,500.

Eligibility

Applicants must have a PhD in archaeology or a related field, and are expected to have an academic affiliation. If the project requires a permit, applicants should also be the primary permit holders; if the applicant is not the primary permit holder, the application should be accompanied by a letter of support from the primary permit holder. Awardees must have the permit in hand before funds will be disbursed.Awardees should submit a photo and a brief project description (one to three sentences) for inclusion on the AIA website and social media at the time the award is made.Awardees must make a formal report to the AIA at the conclusion of the award period.This report should include a brief illustrated summary, written for a general audience, that can be published on the AIA’s website.Awardees are expected to submit poster or fieldwork abstracts for presentation at the Annual Meeting (submissions will be evaluated in the general pool, and acceptance is not guaranteed).For projects that generate digital data, publication of the dataset is especially encouraged, ideally in an open-access format.The AIA welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and is committed to equal opportunity for all. Under no circumstances will the AIA discriminate against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, religious creed, retaliation, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, disability, mental illness, genetics, marital status, age, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.As part of the Archaeological Institute of America’s ongoing commitment to fieldwork and families, reasonable line items for the care of dependent and elderly family members are allowable expenses for AIA grants, fellowships, and scholarships.
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Applicants must be AIA members at the graduate student or professional level at the time of application.

Ineligibility

Current officers and members of the Governing Board, staff, members of the Fellowships Committee and members of their immediate families are prohibited from applying for or receiving fellowships, grants, and other financial awards that may be offered by the Archaeological Institute of America.