HOW'S YOUR PAPER? THE ODYSSEY OF A DISSERTATION IN GEOARCHAEOLOGY

Since formally declaring the intention to study geoarchaeology as the topic of doctoral research, the path to enlightenment has maneuvered through three countries, four universities, six states, and ten years of effort. And at times, the process of completing the degree has been more instructive than the geoarchaeological lessons learned. This paper will take a look at the pursuit of a PhD within both academic research and cultural resource management settings. Examples will be drawn from personal and peer experiences in completing graduate education outside formally constructed geoarchaeology programs. The goal is to provide a perspective on how one educational process bridges the gap between anthropological and geoscientific training.