News
Museums Alaska Executive Director Recruitment
A Letter to the Alaska Anthropology Community
Dear Colleagues and Friends in the Alaska Anthropology Community,
The year 2020 has brought immense changes and challenges to the social interactive work we do in our organizations and communities. Amidst the tensions and uncertainty of the Covid-19 public health emergency, the past few weeks have witnessed a public outcry against ongoing racism in our country. The anthropology community carries a unique role to reflect and critically respond to renewed calls for social justice.
The Alaska Anthropological Association Board of Directors has committed to ongoing advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and communities. The Association offers a range of student scholarships and travel grants each year to support emerging professionals and increase access to the annual meeting. In 2019, the Alaska Anthropological Association adopted an Anti-Harassment Policy to promote a professional and welcoming environment that is free from bias and intimidation. This was followed in February 2020 with an open conversation on the policy and a training workshop held in partnership with STAR (Standing Together Against Rape) during the 47thAnnual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association in Fairbanks.
The Covid-19 public health emergency of 2020 has checked our habitual travel patterns and increased financial strain to organizations and individuals within the Alaska anthropology community. It has also brought us together as we work to safeguard our vulnerable populations, support local businesses who are struggling, and find creative ways to move projects forward together. To help address the current needs of our members and communities while continuing to make space for conversations, the 48thAnnual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association will be offered as a virtual conference (#AkAA virtual) in March 2021.
#AkAA virtual will be organized around the theme of fostering a culture of equity through the removal of boundaries. The virtual conference affords the opportunity to offer both research-driven presentations as well as social events that encourage conversations and connections. The boundary-less conference format also offers us a significant opportunity to better serve our underrepresented communities. To increase accessibility, all conference participants will be available to register for free with special features available to AkAA members.
If you are interested in joining the Organizing Committee to help shape the vision of #AkAA virtual, please send a brief note of interest to: alaskaanthro@gmail.com by August 1, 2020. The committee is typically active from September to March with 2-4 hours a week devoted to the conference. Participation is open to all current members of the Alaska Anthropological Association.
The concerted efforts of the Alaska anthropology community during this seminal time can impact the direction of the social sciences for generations. We support you in the good work that you are doing to build partnerships and advance community-driven change.
Sincerely,
Alaska Anthropological Association Board of Directors
Amy Phillips-Chan, President
Morgan Blanchard
Joshua Lynch
Britteny Howell
Sam Coffman
Scott Shirar
Annual Meeting Photos: Group Share
Members are invited to view and contribute to photos from the 46th Annual Meeting in Nome and 47th Annual Meeting in Fairbanks!
Share your favorite moments from the past two conferences here:
Nome (2019): https://photos.app.goo.gl/R7WMvRQt4fuJwRKb6
Fairbanks (2020): https://photos.app.goo.gl/GrUHbVGzaq7tVw8r5
Alaska Anthropological Association Anti-Harassment Policy
The Alaska Anthropological Association, in keeping with federal and state law and non-profit best practices, strives to maintain a professional environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. The Board of Directors has worked with legal counsel to draft an Anti-Harassment Policy for the Association. In keeping with the governing authority of the Board of Directors, the Alaska Anthropological Association Anti-Harassment Policy was approved and adopted by the Board on 6-12-19. This policy is effective forthwith and can be found at: https://www.alaskaanthropology.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Anti-Harassment-Policy-2019-1.pdf
Spring 2019 AkAA Newsletter
The Spring 2019 Newsletter of the Alaska Anthropological Association is now available! Best wishes for a great season!
PEG Receives 2018 SAA Best Poster Award
The Alaska Anthropological Association Public Education Group (PEG), in partnership with other organizations, has received the 2018 Society for American Archaeology’s award for Best Archaeology Month Poster. The 2018 award winning poster features the 7,500 year old maritime history and culture of Ocean Bay, the ancestral homeland of today’s Alutiiq communities. This is the fifth consecutive year that Alaska has won the prestigious award. Congratulations!
Message from the AkAA Board of Directors
The Alaska Anthropological Association serves to build collaborations between researchers and communities, support best practices in the field of anthropology, and foster a culture of respect between professional colleagues and students within a safe and supportive environment. Based on the unethical behavior of Dr. David Yesner while employed at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and in line with a statement issued by UAA on 4/8/19, the Board of Directors for the Alaska Anthropological Association passed a unanimous motion on 4/10/19 to the following actions regarding Dr. Yesner:
1) The Professional Achievement Award presented by the Alaska Anthropological Association in 2014 is hereby revoked.
2) Membership in the Alaska Anthropological Association is prohibited.
3) Participation in the Annual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association and/or any events or activities sponsored or hosted by the Alaska Anthropological Association is prohibited.
Sincerely,
Alaska Anthropological Association Board of Directors
Amy Phillips-Chan, President
Morgan Blanchard, Vice-President
Joshua Lynch, Secretary
Phoebe Gilbert, Awards and Scholarships
Sam Coffman, Publications
Britteny Howell, External Affairs
2019 Museums Alaska Conference Proposals
Museums Alaska is currently recruiting session and workshop proposals for the upcoming 2019 conference to be held in Kodiak from September 25-28. The deadline for proposals is Sunday, April 7. Please consider sharing your voice! https://museumsalaska.org/Conference
2019 AkAA Conference Accommodations
Looking for last minute accommodations for the annual meeting in Nome? There are still a few rooms available at Dredge No. 7 Inn (907-304-1270), Aurora Inn (907-443-3838) and Nugget Inn (907-443-2323). See you there!
2019 AkAA Conference Program
The 2019 conference program for the 46th Annual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association is now online. Look forward to seeing you in Nome!