The Native American Times
PHILADELPHIA PA
Sam Lewin
3/29/2004
A Pennsylvania museum has received over three hundred grand to mine a rich collection of American Indian artifacts, including ethnographic and archaeological materials.
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology said they have been awarded a three-year, $301,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to support an innovative research experience for undergraduates. The title of the project is "Native Voices, Past and Present, Studies of Native American Collections at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology."
Officials say through the project, 36 undergraduate students-18 Native American students and 18 University of Pennsylvania students-will use the museum's North American Indian collection for research. The AmericanIndian students will partner with a current Penn student, and the Penn studentwill spend six weeks during the summer at the community where Indian student hails from.
"It's a real win-win situation for all involved," said Dr. Jeremy A. Sabloff, Williams Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum and Principal Investigator for the project. "Talented Native American and Penn students will have an unusual opportunity to design and conduct important new research on significant Penn Museum collections, and the Museum will have the opportunity to take advantage of what they learn, through website exhibitions, publications, and mini-exhibitions that may come about as natural products of their learning."
Officials say applications for the program will be available by June 1, 2004. For more information, contact Dr. Janet Monge, (215) 898-4503, or email her at jmonge@sas.upenn.edu.