March 2, 2026
16 students received AIA Field School Scholarships in 2025. Made possible through the Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarships and the newly established American School of Prehistoric Research Scholarships and Laura Obolensky Scholarships, these awards support emerging archaeologists as they gain hands-on experience at sites across the globe. Stay tuned as we highlight their stories and share updates from the field!
Angela Weiler (Western University)
Field School location: Vindolanda, Northumberland, England, UK
Scholarship: Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship
Advice for future scholarship winners going on their first digs?
My practical advice is remember to pack work/gardening gloves! They come in super handy for long days excavating. I would also recommend taking short notes about the excavation throughout the day or in the evening afterwards. You do so much in a day that it can be tricky to remember exact details and easy to forget what happened when. Taking short notes as a reference for later really helped me when I was writing my excavation journal. Additionally, write captions for your pictures and record some key information about them (e.g., what direction were you facing when you took the photo, what context/thing are you taking a picture of, etc.). Even though you spend so much time in your trench and think you will remember, your pictures of dirt and rocks start to blend together, so it’s super important to label them! Finally, I would encourage you to ask questions if you have them! Everyone on site is happy to help and there is truly no better place to learn than in the field. Have so much fun and make the most of your experience!
