Heather McKee wins student paper award at archaeological conference

Heather McKee received the student paper award at the Eastern States Archaeological Federation’s annual meeting in October. The regional conference brings together more than 150 professionals from the Northeast and beyond.

McKee, a double major in cultural and historic preservation and sociology and anthropology, presented the preliminary results of her thesis project: “A Spatial Analysis of an Archaic Occupation in Northern Maine.”

“This was my first experience attending and presenting at a professional conference, and I had a great experience,” said McKee, who plans to pursue a career in cultural resource management with the federal government after graduation. “I enjoyed connecting with others in the fields of preservation and archaeology, as well as learning more about research currently being done in these fields. I feel that this experience gave me an introduction into the professional world of archaeology.”

Papers at the conference were judged by a panel of archaeological scholars from universities across the eastern United States and Canadian provinces. In being selected for the student paper award, McKee has also been invited to publish her work in the journal Archaeology of Eastern North America.

McKee, who serves as the vice president of Salve Regina’s Cultural and Historic Preservation Club, interned for two summers with The Lost Towns Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic’s cultural heritage. The organization works in partnership with Anne Arundel County, the Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation and various other history and heritage organizations in the region.

A member of the cross country and track and field teams, McKee is involved in several honor societies and programs at the University, including the Pell Honors Program, Sigma Phi Sigma, Delta Epsilon Sigma and Chi Alpha Sigma. She is also an intern for Salve Regina’s liturgical ministries, where she helps prepare for Mass, organize student ministers and plan engaging events for students.

In addition to McKee, Natalie Bryant presented her thesis research examining the behavioral patterns of a prehistoric workshop associated with the Munsungun quarries project. Other Salve Regina students attending the conference were Amanda Lannon, Michael Becker and Kathryn Cole.