A Framework for a Sustainable Archaeology Field School in South Florida

Abstract

Entry into the profession of archaeology generally requires the completion of an archaeological field school, which teaches proper field, laboratory, and curation methodologies. Archaeology as a discipline has been making strides towards integrating cross-disciplinary methods to increase the depth and breadth of the subject and enhancing inclusivity. These efforts have been mirrored in the approaches of some archaeological field schools, but not necessarily in a systematic fashion. This paper presents a cohesive framework for an archaeological field school that integrates cross-disciplinary training and inclusivity by model of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), specifically SDGs 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13: Climate Action, 4: Quality Education, and 11: Reduced Inequalities. Both how the framework could be implemented across a variety of archaeology field schools and how it has been implemented in the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) field school held in Jupiter, Florida, are discussed. Furthermore, we present preliminary survey data from field school participants to demonstrate how this field school supports SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

1. Introduction

Field schools are short courses on place-based methodology required for entry into many disciplines where work outdoors is expected. In archaeology, field schools, which are generally aimed at undergraduate students but may include more advanced learners, teach archaeological survey, excavation, and laboratory techniques, the foundation of archaeological research and work [1]. Archaeological field schools represent a “rite of passage” into the discipline [2] and are required (either explicitly or implicitly) for many jobs, including those in the federal government and in cultural resource management (CRM), the latter of which employs the majority of archaeologists working in the United States [3]. In the United States (US), field schools can be certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA), the professional organization whose attestation of archaeological research experience and ethical deportment is highly valued or required in many archaeological jobs in the country [4]. Field school content set by the RPA includes map reading, excavation procedures, note writing, photography, research plans, laboratory techniques and curation, and interpretation [4]. Field schools achieving RPA certification are assigned to one of three categories (RPA-Introductory, RPA-4, or RPA-4P) based on the contact hours, content, and prerequisites of that particular field school [4].

There are benefits to students participating in field schools aside from the methodological skills gained and increased likelihood of employment. By participating in a field school, students are inherently participating in a research project. Participating in research projects as an undergraduate has been shown to increase student confidence in their ability to conduct research, develop higher-order thinking, and increase the likelihood that students will stay in that major by increasing interest in the topic [5,6]. In the US, there has been a concerted effort to increase student participation in undergraduate research through federal programs such as the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) [7], and non-profit organizations such as The Council on Undergraduate Research [8] and Florida Undergraduate Research Association [9] were also created to promote research opportunities for undergraduates. For many archaeology students, field schools are the first and possibly only way they are able to engage in undergraduate research before being employed in the field of archaeology.

Traditionally, field schools run full-time (i.e., five days per week, or sometimes more) for a duration of at least 4 consecutive weeks. At the time of this publication, 20 of the 21 field schools listed on the RPA website follow this full-time model [10]. Often, attendance at a field school requires students to move to a remote area for the length of the field school. Students may elect to receive college credit for the field school, which can be required by some programs for degree completion. Field school experience is a requirement for many archaeological jobs in the U.S., including federal positions [11]. Those entering into cultural resource management (CRM) careers are also generally expected to have completed a field school, as the positions posted to CRM job board ShovelBums indicate [12].

Although field school experience is required for most archaeological careers, barriers to field school participation limit participants’ ability to attend and decrease inclusivity within the field. Due to the inherent cost of transportation, boarding, and academic credit, field schools can be expensive. The average cost of a field school in 2019 was USD 4065 [13]. Although free field schools have existed, e.g., [2], and scholarships are often available to mitigate costs, e.g., [13], many field schools still present a financial burden for participants, particularly those from lower-income households and first-generation students. In addition to the outright costs involved, relocating for several weeks during the summer and missing out on earned income may not be feasible for students who work. Those who are caregivers, parents, or otherwise place-bound often cannot participate in traditional field schools. The barriers to field school participation thus are a notable hindrance to efforts to make the field of archaeology more inclusive.

In addition to limiting opportunities for future or would-be archaeologists, these barriers to field school attendance also limit the pool of appropriately trained archaeologists available within the U.S., particularly in the field of CRM, the archaeological sector responsible for work conducted to follow federal historic preservation laws [3]. CRM companies, which employ the majority of archaeologists in the country, currently have difficulty finding trained entry-level field technicians. Recent analysis indicates that there will soon be a deficit of qualified employees at M.A. and Ph.D. levels as the CRM industry expands in light of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [14]. This shortage of qualified professionals will lead to delayed infrastructure projects; if the demands of historic preservation compliance are subsequently seen as a barrier to timely work completion, there may be attempts to limit CRM compliance, decrease professional standards, and speed future CRM employees through less-than-rigorous graduate programs [14]. Maintaining educational and experiential standards as well as increasing the numbers of students able to complete appropriate field school training are thus both key to the viability of CRM archaeology in the U.S.

Previously, field schools could be exploitative and extractive, with scholars from Europe and North America parachuting into remote locations, spending six weeks there, bringing all data and cultural patrimony back to their institution, and not crediting local researchers and project partners; see articles in [15]. Fortunately, this paradigm is largely considered unacceptable today, and researchers make a concerted effort to engage students with local communities and follow community guidelines and research questions in their fieldwork. As the cost of university education has risen in the United States, field schools have also sought to defray the costs for students through offering scholarships and research fellowships.

To foster more opportunities for non-traditional students, numerous schools have created alternative field schools, for example the University of California at Berkeley’s Archaeological Research Facility (ARF), which conducted a paid commuter field school over six weeks. This field school focused on BIPOC communities and attempted to resolve financial iniquities in the traditional field school system by paying students from five different area universities to participate [16]. Other field schools that seek to expand the traditional model include Montpelier, which focuses on using its summer program to recruit and train a diverse pool of candidates for its paid internship program [17]. Another alternative field school focused on national parks in Alaska includes K12 students from a tribal village school to investigate sites inhabited by their own ancestors [18]. Likewise the upcoming Enfulletv-Mocvse in Archaeology Field School is a collaboration between the University of Georgia and Muscogee Nation is developed and led by descendent communities to address community goals of the Muscogee [19]. Similarly the Mohegan-Institute for Field Research ran a field school in 2022 and was informed by the goals of the Mohegan Tribe [20].

The success of these previous alternative archaeology field schools highlights the need for and ability of education institutions to provide them. However, while many institutions have established informal alternatives to a field school, i.e., fieldwork conducted as a class during the school’s semester, the prevailing field school model remains a dedicated program requiring a full-time commitment of several weeks over the summer. In this paper we present a conceptual framework of a sustainable field school based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) that aims to integrate the methods and aims of traditional archaeology, integrates education on climate change issues that are becoming ever more prevalent in the field of archaeology, and increases accessibility to learners of all kinds. We first provide an overview of the conceptual framework with reference to the targeted SDGs. Each subsequent section then specifies (1) why that UN SDG is related to an archaeological field school with an emphasis on targets of each Un SDG, (2) how each specific UN SDG is generally embodied within a field school following this framework, and (3) how that UN SDG was applied at a specific field school in South Florida as an example of applying the framework.

2. The Sustainable Field School

2.1. Conceptual Framework

The conceptual model of this field school based on the UN SDGs is represented visually in Figure 1. A sustainable field school exists in this model when all targeted UN SDGS are addressed, although how they are addressed may be adapted to specific sites and research needs. It is important to note that this framework integrates both the archaeological field school requirements set by the RPA and the goals and targets to the UN SDGs, therein building on existing frameworks [4,21]. Furthermore, this framework is consistent with the key competency of systems thinking in sustainability education that asks students of sustainability educational programs to think across multiple domains and scales [22]. In the case of this field school, the multiple domains are the multiple research aims of the field school in both archaeological and climate change contexts and the multiple scales include aspects of the field school that educate the students of archaeological and environmental issues both at the site of the school itself (local scale) and through engagement in the literature more broadly (regional scale). Lastly, this conceptual model is representative of the principles of transdisciplinary research in sustainability science, wherein scientific and societal methods of approaching problems are integrated by a multi-disciplinary research team to achieve goals both relevant to societal and scientific aims [23].

The following sections elaborate on how the aims of the conceptual model align within the UN SDGs and how practically these aims were implemented in a field school annually in Florida. The field school is being hosted at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse ONA) by the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN). The partnership history that led to the founding of the field school has been described in depth previously [24]. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal agency in the US whose “mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations” [25]. The BLM manages the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (ONA). The ONA is a 120-acre parcel, which was designated by Congress in 2008 to preserve aspects of the site including its history, biodiversity, and scenic value [25]. FPAN is an educational program of the University of West Florida established by state statute [26]. FPAN’s mission is to promote and facilitate the conservation, study and public appreciation of Florida’s archaeological heritage. Accordingly, one of the aims of the field school partnership was to encourage a diverse group of learners—from traditional degree-seeking students to area lifelong learners.

2.2. Archaeological Research

The central UN SDG addressed by all publicly funded archaeological research in the US, as well as all laws in the country that require responsible excavation, survey, and protection of archaeological sites and other cultural resources, is 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable). UN SDG 11 is likewise the central goal addressed by this field school. UN SGD 11 has 10 targets, but the target most relevant to this field school is target 11.4 (strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage). Indicators for how this target is progressing largely focus on how much funding is allocated to preservation of natural areas and cultural resources [21].

In all geographic locations, a sustainable field school will teach ethical, responsible, and proper archaeological methods to ensure professional standards related to survey, excavation, and records and artifact management are maintained. As excavation is a destructive process that inherently damages the cultural resource for the perceived greater benefit of understanding it, sustainable field schools should only excavate with a greater research question or preservation purpose defined, not just for the sake of educating the students. In the US this requirement is already set forth by RPA field school accreditation standards [4]. Lastly, field schools should be mindful of the greater cultural community and work to complete their research tasks without violating local custom and community whether legally required or not. It is critical that field schools are sensitive to the wishes of descendent communities and seek to collaborate with descendant community members.

The practice of integrating UN SDG 11 target 4 into the FPAN field school starts with the research aim of the field school. Prior to beginning any work, a research plan was submitted both to the BLM and then the RPA for approval. Recent archaeological investigations conducted at the site from 1981 to 2014 indicated that the site has been continuously occupied for over 5000 years [27]. The site contains multiple components that reflect the use of this location on the landscape, from precontact shell middens and associated artifacts to historic buildings and foundations, which range from the late 19th century to use of the site following World War II. The site is documented in the Florida Master Site File as 8PB000035. The traditional archaeological research goal of the field school involved further exploring and documenting this history, including identifying the location of buried middens and historic buildings.

To meet these goals, the authors worked in collaboration with staff from the BLM to design the curriculum. The curriculum focused on local history and environment, basic survey and excavation skills, laboratory processing skills, sediment analysis, report preparation, and public outreach and education (Figure 2). Additionally, construction activities associated with renovation of the classroom building on site revealed a buried brick feature. Attempting to determine what this feature was and when it might have been constructed was a secondary aim of the project. Accordingly, FPAN obtained accreditation from the RPA to communicate that the field school program would be conducted ethically with a primary goal of education, achieving RPA-Introductory status.

2.3. Interdisciplinary Training

The second UN SDG addressed by this conceptual model is UN SGD 13 (Climate Action: Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts). UN SDG 13 has five targets, but the target most relevant to this field school is target 13.3 (improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning). Indicators for how this target is progressing largely focus on how “mainstream” sustainable development education has become including through teacher training and assessment of students [21]. This is the first UN SDG in the conceptual model that deviated from the traditional field school requirements because it requires another layer of training above and beyond traditional archaeological methods to include training specific to how climate change impacts archaeological sites. In all geographic locations the sustainable field school will instruct students on the most common effects of climate change on archaeological sites in that area.

Such climate change effects include but are not limited to increased erosion (e.g., aeolian, fluvial, or coastal), melting permafrost, increased sea-level rise, changing temperature, increased flooding, changes in the groundwater table, etc. Additionally, the sustainable field school educates on terminology and methods to understand these climate processes so that students can better work outside of the archaeological realm. For example, an archaeologist may need to work with oceanographers at coastal sites or geologists in an area of extreme erosion. Being able to speak the language of those disciplines and having a base understanding of them (or at the very least dispelling misconceptions) will equip the students to be better able to tackle archaeology projects that increasingly require interdisciplinary work. It is impossible to cover every possible method and topic related to climate change in a single archaeological field school, and so the methods and topics discussed should be those most relevant to the location of the field school. For example, one field school in Maine includes sections on science of the intertidal zone due to issues of archaeological sites eroding in the ocean in that area [28]. Similarly, a field school in St. Augustine, Florida, targeted historical sites subject to erosion due to changing fluvial erosion due to climate change [29]. In the far north, the Artic Vikings Field School that ran in 2019 included modules on the effects of climate change on cultural resources in the Arctic, with a emphasis on rapid intervention techniques [30]. In Peru, a field school run by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign includes training on the societal impacts of climate change and environmental sustainability [31].

The practice of integrating UN SDG 13 target 3 into the FPAN field school is largely focused on sea-level rise and water-mediated erosion, as those are the greatest threats to site stability at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse ONA. Ayers-Rigsby has partnered with the BLM since 2016 to document cultural material impacted by shoreline loss and erosion caused by boat wake, dredging, and environmental factors exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, like stronger hurricanes. Additionally, FAU’s Geomatics Department has been documenting the rate of shoreline loss and erosion on site through UAV-based photogrammetry, which established that the rate of shoreline erosion on the south side of the property was approximately 4 feet per year [32] prior to the construction of the living shoreline on the site in 2022. Erosion indicated that the site had the potential to extend into the intertidal zone. Following construction of the living shoreline and associated pier, BLM staff noticed that cultural material continued to wash up along the southern shoreline. At this point, it was unknown if these artifacts were washing up onto shore from elsewhere, or eroding out of a buried midden deposit. Accordingly, a major goal of the field school was to attempt to ascertain if the artifacts documented by BLM staff were coming out of a buried, potentially intact midden.

The field school addresses training on climate change effects on Florida archaeology through a variety of means (Figure 3). Firstly, a geologist with climate change expertise is involved in the project as well as an archaeologist with an expertise in environmental archaeology, and both deliver instructions on climate change effects through lectures and readings provided, e.g., [33,34,35], prior to students collecting data in the field. Students also receive relevant training in several modules, including coastal archaeology, sediment analysis, and local species identification.

The module on coastal archaeology was inclusive of theory and methods. Due to varying legislative requirements, many coastal archaeological sites have a boundary mapped artificially at the shoreline, as though the site terminated there. It is crucial that learners in the program view the coastal site holistically rather than separating terrestrial archaeology from underwater archaeology. Accordingly, learners documented the potential for buried midden extending into the water through shovel testing along the interior and exterior of the seawall in 2023, and by coring in 2024. This initial testing supports the presence of intact midden that has been submerged. Learners also practiced methodologies traditionally used in underwater archaeology, like baseline offset mapping to document the shoreline.

As part of the sediment analysis module, students collect sediment samples from various areas of the excavation and analyze them for moisture content and grain size. Learners are instructed in how to interpret the results to determine if a site is subject to wetting from groundwater/sea level rise and how grain size can indicate changes in environmental conditions. The field school follows standardized methods for the sediment analysis procedure using the methods described in [34].

Learners in the field school also receive basic training in the identification of faunal remains (i.e., animal bones and shells) from the site. Changes in the faunal remains present at a location through time, including presence/absence of species, shifts in the relative abundance of species, and changes in the habitats represented by species can all provide insights into climate change in the ancient past [36,37,38]. Comparing faunal material from a given locale with the historically recorded or modern species’ makeup and population characteristics can serve to highlight both climatic and anthropogenic impacts, e.g., [27,28] as well as provide insight into sustainable population baselines to bolster restoration efforts [39,40].

Another important opportunity for climate change training is informal interaction with peers. As this field camp is open to all majors, students from majors other than anthropology/archaeology where climate change is also a featured component (e.g., environmental science or geology) can likewise participate in the field school. Those students in other climate change-focused majors can share their knowledge from complementary fields with other students in the field school, while also learning about archaeological processes themselves. This equips those climate change-focused students to be better able to work with archaeologists just as archaeologists benefit from training when working with natural scientists.

2.4. Increased Accessibility to Students

The last two UN SDGs addressed by this conceptual model, which overlap substantially, are UN SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities: Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries) and UN SDG 4 (Quality Education: Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All). UN SGD 10 has 10 targets, but the target most relevant to this field school are targets 10.2 (by 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status) and 10.3 (ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard). UN SDG 4 has seven targets, but the targets most relevant to the field school are targets 4.3 (by 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university) and 4.4 (by 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship). Indicators for these targets include the proportion of groups traditionally discriminated against and their experiences with discrimination/discriminatory policies, their employment rates, and their participation in vocational training opportunities [21].

Within the conceptual framework, the sustainable field school will contain policies to make the school more accessible to all students. Although it may seem daunting to foster inclusivity across all demographics outdoors and in rugged terrain, policies should aim to bolster inclusivity of underrepresented groups whenever possible. This could include reducing the cost of the field school to make it more accessible to lower income participants, allowing lifelong learners to join, or putting the location of the field school in a location where it is more feasible for groups traditionally underrepresented to join. For example, in the US a field school could occur on a college campus where the demographics are largely local students who commute to campus. This field school would essentially be in the backyard of the participants, thus negating travel costs. One example of this is the University of West Florida (UWF) Campus Survey Terrestrial Field School that occurred in the summer of 2024 and met at the UWF campus every day [41]. Another example if the Chena Townsite field school run by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which although being offsite is a commutable distance from students’ home accommodations [42]. Field schools can be made accessible in other ways as well. For example, in the geosciences field schools have used technologies such as livestreams to increase inclusivity of students with mobility disabilities [43].

The FPAN field school increases accessibility according to the UN SDGs by a variety of means. Firstly, the field school is free to participants, whether they be undergraduate students, graduate students, or lifelong learners. This free access is possible due to a grant from the BLM (L23AC00355/Your Public Lands at Risk) that pays for the cost of supplies, instructor salaries or course offsets, and other expenses.

To alleviate issues with transportation, the field school makes use of available public transit—namely, the Tri-Rail, a metropolitan commuter rail system linking Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach major metropolitan areas, with trains running every hour to half hour. A shuttle is provided by FPAN from the closest Tri-Rail station to the field school, approximately a 20 min drive, so that participants only need to transport themselves to the nearest Tri-Rail station from their home to get to the field school.

In contrast to most RPA-certified field schools, this field school only runs once a week on Mondays from 9 AM until 2 PM, for 12 weeks. This allows for participants to maintain their jobs, caretaking responsibilities, regular course load, and other commitments while participating in the field school. Although the timing may not fit into every schedule, it provides an alternative option to the 4+ week full time field school, and the field school has filled the 2 years it has run so far, indicating it fits in enough schedules to fulfill its educational purpose.

There is no requirement to be a currently enrolled student at a university or college, which is a requirement for some university-run field schools. This allows for recent graduates and lifelong learners to participate in the field school. It may be especially beneficial for those who graduated from anthropology/archaeology programs but were unable to obtain the field experience necessary to obtain a job in the field. Participating in this field school equips these learners with the necessary experience without the need to re-enroll as a student. Furthermore, the ability of life-long learners to join the field school dovetails with the emphasis of the field school on public archaeology.

The field school also provides informal education to the surrounding community. In order to showcase that work is relevant to the community and residents in the area, students also plan a public program. In 2023, the program involved a general family day on Saturday in partnership with the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, a non-profit partner of the BLM who operate ticketing for the lighthouse and museum on site. Activities on site involved a scavenger hunt where visitors went to various stations to learn about the archaeology of the site and the archaeological process. In 2024, learners planned a focused public day for local families. Visitors were able to learn to survey using a compass, construct a pottery timeline, create their own museum, and match historic bottles. Conducting public programming on site not only serves to help learners at the field school learn to communicate about scientific research in a way that will be straightforward for others to understand, and also highlights archaeological research for the local community.

Although university registration or completion of university credit is not required for participation in the field school, it is an option. Some participants who are students may elect to receive credit to qualify for some degree requirement. For this particular field school, partnerships with Lynn University and Florida Atlantic University allow for students to enroll in directed study classes at their university supervised by the field school instructors to receive credit. At Lynn University students receive credit for CAS 490: Supervised Research, and at Florida Atlantic University students receive credit for ANT 4905: FPAN Archaeological Field School. Students from other institutions likewise can receive credit at their home college or university if approved by their home institution.

Although the field school is meant to be accessible, it does have capacity limitations and therefore a cap on the number of participants who can enroll each year. Participants are selected through a competitive application, in which participants fill out a questionnaire with short answers about why they want to participate in the field school and basic demographic information (e.g., if they are a student or life-long learner). Participants are prioritized who have not previously completed an archaeological field school and who express that they are unlikely to be able to participate in a traditional archaeology field school. Additionally, as this a free-to-participant program and therein may have less buy-in to remain in the program than a pay-to-participate field school, applicants who have previously demonstrated engagement in FPAN opportunities are also prioritized.

A 5-year survey study (Lynn University IRB #23.11) to test how accessible the field school is and the impact of the field school on the participants’ sense of self-efficacy, identity, and community following scales outlined in [44] in their field is underway (the methods for which are described in the SI Survey Methods). Preliminary results from the first year of the survey indicate that the FPAN field school is accessible to a variety of learners. Of the 15 participants in the first year of the field school who completed the survey, 40% were current undergraduate students working on bachelor’s degrees, 20% were recent graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees in the past 3 years, 27% were lifelong learners with bachelor’s degrees earned more than 3 years ago (with half of those currently pursuing graduate degrees), and 12% were lifelong learners with no college degree. Of those who attended college, 73% received scholarships or financial aid, and 77% majored or minored in archaeology, anthropology or geoscience. None of the recent graduates in those fields reported that they are working in a field related to their degree.

Participants in the FPAN field school were asked about barriers that prevented them from attending a field school in the past. Of the 73% of participants that had not previously attended a field school, 45% reported that they had previously desired or attempted to attend a field school but were unable. When asked to indicate which barriers had prevented them from attending a field school (where participants could select more than one option), 100% reported that they were unable to leave for a period of time required by traditional field schools due to family obligations and 60% reported that they were unable to leave for a period of time due to work obligations. Additionally, 60% reported that cost/affordability was a barrier that prevented them from attending.

When asked why they chose to attend the FPAN field school (again, participants could select more than one option), 73% of participants indicated that the schedule fitting into their other obligations was a factor, 73% indicated that the location/commute was a factor, and 40% indicated that affordability was a factor. Overall, these preliminary findings suggest that the FPAN field school is more accessible to both current students and lifelong learners due to the schedule, location, and cost—all factors which prevented these individuals from attending field schools in the past. Four more years of survey data collection remain and a full report of the demographics, barriers, and scales results will be published at the conclusion of the survey collection.

3. Conclusions

The current iteration of the UN SDGs ends in 2030. This leaves 5 years for the archaeological community to make any additional alterations to the status quo to meet the aims of the UN SDGs. Alterations to existing field schools or the creation of new sustainability-focused field schools is one venue by which the archaeological community can make gains towards those goals. Although the examples used in the framework presented here are specific to one field school, the general concept of adding interdisciplinary training to and increasing accessibility to all students for field schools can be implemented globally.

Although the framework of the field school is presented here with preliminary data and logical argument based on the current literature, an assessment of whether the field school is meeting the aims presented here will occur at the conclusion of the existing field school grant in 2029. That assessment will include the participant survey data and a log of the reports and research articles generated from the field school at that time, including if the reports and articles include an interdisciplinary approach.

One final note on this particular field school in Florida and the UN SDGs lies in the instructors. Although it is not integrated into the framework, it would be remiss to overlook that the three primary instructors of the field school are women. The UN SDG 5 is related to gender equality, including representation in leadership positions within the workforce. As women are underrepresented in senior archaeology positions as well as authors of high-impact papers in highly ranked peer-reviewed journals [45,46], it is important to highlight that this field school addresses some of the factors that may contribute to this gender inequality. While there are several reasons that women are underrepresented in science fields in general, two are particularly relevant here: first, women may leave the sciences due to the lack of female role models in those fields, and second, women may leave the sciences because family and caregiving responsibilities, which disproportionately fall on them, are incompatible with the demands of opportunities in the sciences [47]. The nature of this field school—that it is primarily run by females in leadership positions, along with the increased accessibility for those with family obligations—may make it particularly conducive to advancing gender equality. These features are a testament to the advancements relative to UN SDG 5 already occurring in archaeology; hopefully, the future will see the integration of more UN SDGs across the field.