CITIZEN SCIENTISTS AND LATE PLEISTOCENE RESEARCH IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Professionals and avocationals have had a long and productive history of collaboration in the study of Late Pleistocene paleontology and archaeology in the Southeastern U.S. In most cases, it is the non-professionals that make the initial discoveries, collect items and map their locations, and accumulate knowledge about artifacts or fossils - but some may be hesitant to interact with professionals due to misunderstandings of laws regarding the acquisition and possession of these materials, or because they envision professionals as uninterested or unapproachable. Educational programs, outreach, and volunteer opportunities for interested members of the public can provide mutually beneficial experiences and lead to productive, long-term relationships. This paper describes the development, methodologies, and outcomes of three ongoing projects that continue this trend of citizen science: statewide and national-level projectile point recording surveys, archaeological excavations at the Topper site in South Carolina, and the documentation and analysis of Late Pleistocene faunal material in Mississippi.