The FAU field school attracts a diverse student body from universities and colleges in the U.S., Europe and South America.  The academic purpose of FAU’s field school is to train undergraduate and graduate students in archaeological methods, including human remains excavation and analysis. Students gain hands-on experience in anthropology through faculty-supervised research projects that are part of a research program that aims to understand the connections between the prehistoric past and present in terms of South American adaptations to coastal environments.  The area of interest is the Pacific coast of Southern Manabí Province, Ecuador. The region is characterized by deep and shallow bays, alluvial valleys, and coastal mountains.  Investigations focus on the systematic survey of alluvial valleys and on the excavation of coastal and inland sites.  Over the past 20 years, FAU has participated in creating a research infrastructure that few other American universities have in the international arena.  Over 200 students have been educated in this program, many of whom use this field program as their entry into the profession of anthropology.

Exavations in 2019 take place in the cloud forest environment of the community of Rio Blanco.