Center for Archaeology and Society
About Us
The Center for Archaeology and Society organizes its work around four core areas that each reflect our mission to connect the past with the present and future and to serve communities whose material heritage is in our care: 1) collections care, 2) education and training, 3) public engagement and 4) research programs.
Collections Care
The Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (CASR) oversees the care and stewardship of archaeological and ethnographic collections housed at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change (SHESC) at Arizona State University (ASU).
CASR is revitalizing the collaborative and research potential of SHESC’s extensive anthropological collections by applying innovative techniques and ensuring their relevance to contemporary scholarship and public engagement. We are responsible for the care and curation of all archaeological, ethnographic, and archival materials held by SHESC, acting on behalf of the Arizona Board of Regents and in partnership with various federal agencies. CASR is also responsible for ASU’s Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation (NAGPRA) program, a fundamental responsibility that drives much of the work we do. CASR has a large full-time staff dedicated to the culturally appropriate care, protection, documentation and return of collections currently in our care.
The Center for Archaeology and Society Repository is dedicated to the care and stewardship of cultural heritage collections (1) pertinent to the history and archaeology of southern and central Arizona, (2) assembled by members of the Arizona State University community, or (3) holding significant educational potential for informing current and future generations about the diverse historical and ancestral communities of the Greater Southwest. The Center for Archaeology and Society Repository also envisions its work helping current and future generations cultivate a deeper respect for the ancestral and contemporary heritage of descendant communities across the region.
Education and Training
The Center offers a range of educational and training opportunities that prepare students for both academic research and professional careers, with a strong emphasis on archaeology and museum studies.
Each semester, CAS trains in-person and online students through internships and research apprenticeships that provide hands-on experience in real-world settings. CAS staff and affiliates also teach a variety of applied courses that support ASU’s Museum Studies and Anthropology programs. These include instruction in museum theory and practice, collections-based internships, and an archaeological field school that immerses students in active research contexts. The Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (CASR) offers a unique, multi-semester NAGPRA learning track as well as a specialization in NAGPRA within the M.A. in Museum Studies degree program. These specialized training programs equip students with the practical skills, legal knowledge, and cultural sensitivity orientation necessary to pursue careers as NAGPRA compliance professionals. Across all of these programs, CAS is committed to helping trainees cultivate both academic expertise and career-ready skills, grounded in the legal, ethical, and collaborative frameworks essential to contemporary heritage work.
Public Engagement
Public engagement is a core part of the Center for Archaeology and Society’s mission to connect research with the wider community.
CAS staff regularly engage in outreach activities that extend our work beyond academic settings and foster meaningful public engagement. We develop interactive programs for university-wide events such as ASU Homecoming and Open Door, and create classroom-ready activities focused on ancient Arizona for K-12 educators.
Our team has designed both local and traveling museum exhibits, produced accessible literature based on CAS research, and organized speaker series and career-oriented events in collaboration with ASU and community partners. Through these initiatives, CAS strives to make archaeology and heritage studies accessible and relevant to diverse audiences. We are continually exploring new ways to share our work and expand its impact across educational and public spaces.
Research
The Center for Archaeology and Society supports research initiatives that include fieldwork, laboratory analysis, collections-based research and archival studies in the U.S. Southwest.
These initiatives serve as a foundation for externally funded projects and create opportunities for further innovation and collaboration. The broad scope of CAS research enables faculty to integrate new findings into the school’s curriculum, engage undergraduate and graduate students at every stage of the research process, and share results with the wider public through accessible presentations and outreach activities.
CAS also facilitates collaborative research among ASU faculty and external affiliates. Ongoing projects include archaeological fieldwork in the Phoenix Basin, the Tonto Basin and the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona; digital data integration efforts across the greater Southwest; the development of computational tools for archaeological data analysis and management; and applied research aimed at enhancing cultural standards of care for anthropological collections and archives. These collaborations have secured major external funding and support the Center’s mission by fostering high-impact research, advancing data accessibility, and creating training and career development opportunities for students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty and community partners.
