Archaeological Institute of America
Deadline: November 1, 2021
Amount: up to $5,500
The Steinmetz Fund will support the use of technology in archaeological research by providing grants to archaeological projects that make innovative use of technological tools and methods. Normally, such projects will have a fieldwork element. However, research conducted in a laboratory setting that employs technology may also be eligible for a grant. While all are encouraged to apply, priority will be given to new projects proposed by archaeologists at an early stage in their careers (within 8 years of the receipt of the PhD).
Projects may concern any location in the world and any time period, but must be designed to address important questions about the human past specifically through technological means. “Technology” should be understood broadly to include not only digital tools and approaches, but also those developed in engineering, chemistry, biology, physics, etc. In 2017, the Steinmetz Fund will provide a total award of up to 5,500 USD.
To be eligible, applicants must have been AIA members in good standing for at least two consecutive years by the application deadline, with a PhD in archaeology or a related field, and are expected to have an academic affiliation. If the project requires a permit, applicants should also be the primary permit holders; if the applicant is not the primary permit holder, the application should be accompanied by a letter of support from the primary permit holder. Awardees must have the permit in hand before funds will be disbursed.
Awardees will be expected to submit a photo and project description for inclusion on the AIA website at the time the award is made, as well as a formal report to the AIA at the conclusion of the award period. This report should include a brief illustrated summary, written for a general audience, that can be published on the AIA’s website. It is expected that the research results will be published promptly according to a plan approved by the AIA, and awardees are expected to submit poster or fieldwork abstracts for presentation at the Annual Meeting (submissions will be evaluated in the general pool, and acceptance is not guaranteed). For projects that generate digital data, publication of the dataset is especially encouraged, ideally in an open-access format.
Submission should be made through the online form available on the AIA website. This form will require professional information about the applicant; a verbal statement of the geographic coverage of the project, with geographic coordinates if appropriate; a project title and abstract (no more than 200 words); information about the permits and co-direction of the project (if applicable); a description of the publication plan; if the project involves digital data, a brief data management plan explaining how the data collected will be maintained, shared, and archived; a statement of the applicant’s qualifications to carry out the project (no more than 500 words); and a bibliography of no more than 10 relevant works.
The applicant must also provide a detailed, itemized account of the full project budget, with the expenses to be covered by the Steinmetz Fund specifically described and explained and other sources of funding identified. NOTE: AIA funds CANNOT be used to cover overhead or PI salaries, and the Steinmetz Fund is intended to provide particular support for technology, so expenses for excavation, survey, conservation, or basic logistics will be viewed less favorably. Some examples of preferred expenses: travel or room and board for project members working with technology, equipment or instruments, specialist or consultant fees, software licenses, laboratory fees. The budget should be prepared using this template and uploaded as a separate document through the online application form.
The applicant should also prepare the following separate documents, to be submitted as attachments through the online application form:
Proposals will be reviewed according to the following criteria (roughly in this order of importance):