FPAN Presents Children's Archaeology Programming

The grant-funded Southeast and Southwest Center of the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN), located on FAU’s Fort Lauderdale campus reaches over 15,000 people each year through their public programming. During the current Covd-19 pandemic, FPAN has been hosting a range of digital archaeological programming for the general public.

"A virtual program for children called Archaeology in an Hour, which will guide students through various activities to help learn how archaeologists study sites will be held August 3 to 7," said FPAN Director Sara Ayers-Rigsby, who asks that RSVPs be sent to her at  sayersrigsby@fau.edu  and said that upcoming events are posted on its website. FPAN, which has been hosted by Florida Atlantic University's Anthropology Department over the last 15 years, covers all nine counties south of Lake Okeechobee with its coordinating center at the University of West Florida.

"Currently, we are working on a major citizen scientist project,  HMS Florida, which documents the impacts of climate change at archaeological sites. Over 16,000 terrestrial sites will be impacted with three feet of sea level, and our goal is to document all of them. We are also documenting the impacts of climate change to underwater sites. FAU students and other interested members of the public can sign up to volunteer for this program," said Ayers-Rigsby.

One of FPAN’s biggest projects every year is its Archaeology Bootcamp, which it hosts in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area. This program, which is held during FAU's Spring Break, is a three-day adventure where university students from FAU and other colleges nationwide learn about archaeological methods including excavation, laboratory analysis, terrestrial laser scanning, and photogrammetry. FPAN received a $136,000 grant this year from the Bureau of Land Management, Ayers-Rigsby said.

"We are all about public outreach and education! We have assisted with Archaeology Merit Badges for Scout Troops, historic cemetery clean-ups, kayak tours, and updates for museum exhibits," said Ayers-Rigsby. "Great local historical sites within walking distance of the Fort Lauderdale Campus are located at the  Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, and  Stranahan House. For those on the Davie Campus, check out  Long Key Nature Center."