ACZ volunteers make it happen

2016 to 2017 Year-In-Brief

Special Edition Mini-Workshops

For Alaskans
ACZ organized 4 mini workshops this winter, free to the public, students, and professionals:
Don't Fear the Fish: Identify North Pacific Marine Fish, September - Diane Hanson
Alternate Methods of Zooarchaeology: Isotopes and Ancient DNA, October – Nathan Harmston & Samantha Dunning
Identifying sea birds from the North Pacific, November – Doug Causey
Interpreting bone pathology, December – Ryan Harrod

Annual ACZ Workshop w/aaa Annual Meeting

Volunteers assisted Mike Etnier and Nathan Harmston at the “All About Teeth” Annual ACZ Workshop at this year’s Alaska Anthropological Association Annual Meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska.
ACZ volunteers hosted a hands on display of the collection at International Archaeology Day with UAA in October.
Volunteers worked with archaeologists from Cultural Alaska and USACE to plan and host activities and a display at World Anthropology Day with UAA in February.

ACZ Christina Jensen Scholarship 2017

Jason Miszaniec at UC Davis was selected for this year's Christina Jensen scholarship. He's studying Northwestern Alaska subsistence.

Women Are Scientists, Too

ACZ partnered with NPS to teach Girl Scouts of America Women of Science scouts about the benefits of heritage documentation and archaeological methods, in February.
This is a big year for ACZ.
You've all donated personal time and resources over the past 20 years to build a phenomenal collection used for archaeology in Alaska and the Arctic and to expose students of all ages to biology and culture.
Here are the 2015 - 2016 highlights.

accession log digitized, inventory to follow

View the collection. Volunteers spent their evenings and weekends processing and housing (in their own freezers and backyards) over 430 specimens, in the past 20 years. A collections inventory by volunteers will follow.

investigate black bear decay

ACZ got new black bear specimens from the Anchorage area. These were processed by Prof. Ryan Harrod and UAA forensics students.

noaa marine mammal agreement

Our Marine Mammal Stranding Agreement with NOAA was extended to December 2017. If you think you might be collecting for the ACZ, please contact us. We'd like to make sure we’re following the specific collection guidelines in the agreement.

20th anniversary Pizza & beer

Let's celebrate our 20th year and recognize the tenacious souls who helped start the ACZ in the '90s! September/October 2016. Contact us to participate in planning or arrange to get ACZ fundraising merchandise at your event. Let's keep it going for another 20!

for kids

At International Archaeology Day in October 2015, the ACZ displayed over 20 specimens and volunteers hung around to connect with kids and adults.
At the Girls Scouts of America Women of Science event in February 2016, ACZ volunteers partnered with the National Park Service. We presented six workshops for K-12 students and participated in a mentor luncheon.

facebook gone public

The ACZ now has a public Facebook page. Join the conversation and get updates.