Outreach
Public Service Archaeology & Architecture Program (PSAAP)
Contact Information
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Anthropology
1707 South Orchard Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Phone: 217-333-1636
Fax: 217-244-1911
Chicago Area Office
P.O. Box 7085
Grayslake, Illinois 60030
Phone/Fax: 847-548-7961
About
The Public Service Archaeology & Architecture Program is a full-service cultural resource management and research program sponsored by the Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Initiated in 1991, the program conducts a variety of research and cultural resource management projects for federal, state, and local agencies and private organizations in prehistoric and historical archaeology. Projects have been conducted across the continental United States with a focus in the Midwest. These projects provide funding and research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of Anthropology.
The mission of the Public Service Archaeology & Architecture Program is to assist the Department of Anthropology's mission in providing teaching, research, and public service to the larger community. As one of the premier departments in its field, the Department of Anthropology attracts some of the brightest and most talented undergraduate and graduate students in the country. The first goal of the program is to supplement the ability of the Department to teach archaeology to its students by providing opportunities for participation in field and laboratory research. The second goal of the program is to promote and conduct innovative and quality archaeological research through sponsored research projects. The final goal of the program, denoted by its title, is to provide public service to federal, state, and local governmental agencies as well as private organizations and individuals. Public service activities range from helping organizations fulfill legal requirements concerning the identification and evaluation of cultural resources to the dissemination of information through publications and presentations.
Staff
The program maintains a full-time staff of two Ph.D.-level archaeologists who are project directors, research specialists, an Archaeoligical Historian and five M.A.-level archaeologists who act as project directors. The support staff includes two graphic artists and 10-15 full- and part-time field crew members.
Dr. Kevin P. McGowan (Ph.D. University of Illinois 1990) is the Program Director. With nearly 20 years of experience in eastern North American archaeology, Dr. McGowan has directed a wide variety of archaeological projects in the Midwest including Phase I surveys, Phase II evaluation and Phase III mitigation projects. The projects have included both prehistoric and historic archaeological sites. His research interests include the archaeology of the Midwest and Eastern United States.
Dr. Brian Adams (Ph.D. University of Illinois 1996) is the Assistant Director. He has worked in the Midwest, Europe and the Middle East for more than 15 years and has supervised a number of archaeological survey and excavation projects. His research interests include lithic technology, use-wear analysis, hunter-gatherer settlement patterns, the Midwestern United States, and the European Paleolithic. Email: badams4@illinois.edu
Gregory R. Walz (M.A. Western Michigan University 1991) is a Research Associate with the program. He has more than ten years experience in eastern North American archaeology and has directed a number of survey and excavation projects. In addition, he serves as paleobotanical analyst for the program and has conducted a number of botanical analysis from sites throughout eastern North America. His research interests include eastern North America, paleobotany, agricultural systems, and subsistence/settlement systems. Email: gwalz@netonecom.net
Eva Pajuelo-Flores (M.A. University of Illinois 2006, C.Phil 2006) is a Public Service Archaeology Specialist. She has worked in the Midwest and the Andes leading survey and excavation crews. Her interests include settlement studies using GIS, ceramic technology, social archaeology, and public education.
Marcy Prchal (MPhil University of Glasgow, 2003) is the program’s Architectural Historian. She has worked in the Midwest and Europe doing architectural and archaeological survey and evaluation. Her research interests include eighteenth and nineteenth century North American architecture and urban development. Email: gurski@illinois.edu
Alice Berkson (M.A. Illinois State University 1992), Staff Historian, has worked in Illinois archaeology for more than 35 years on both prehistoric and historic period research. Her interests include post-contact Native American archaeology and public archaeology, including long-time involvement with the avocational organization Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology and the new Illinois Master Naturalist program.
Susan Brannock-Gaul (B.A. University of Illinois 1991) is the program's Graphics Coordinator. With degrees in Visual Arts and Anthropology, she has created figures for archaeological reports since 1991. Her work with the program includes artifact illustration, photography, scanning, the creation of topographic maps from digital files, and producing illustrations with a variety of design, drawing, and photographic software. Email: sbrannoc@illinois.edu
Shari French (B.S. Eastern Illinois University 1984) is the assistant to the Director. In charge of processing financial and human resource paperwork. Point of contact for Program Information. Email: french2@illinois.edu
Christopher Flynn - Historic Research
Michael Smith (B.A. Western Michigan University 1998) is the program’s lab director. He has worked in Midwest archaeology for over ten years. He supervises the processing, identification, and curation of the program's artifact assemblages as well as assisting with historic background research on projects. His research interests include material culture studies and historic period archaeology.
Scott Sills