What exactly is the Archaeological Institute of America—the AIA—and why should you be a part of it?
Founded in 1879 and chartered by Congress in 1906, the AIA is North America’s oldest and largest archaeological organization. It includes among its members professional archaeologists, students, and people from all walks of life, all of whom share a passion for understanding the human past. Today, the AIA has 111 societies throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Portland’s AIA society was chartered in 1997.
To promote new research, the AIA provides fellowships, scholarships, and grants to support young scholars, undergraduate fieldwork, promote archaeological publications, and to support excavations. The AIA organizes an Annual Meeting at which the results of the latest research are presented and discussed, and publishes the highly respected American Journal of Archaeology. To reach the public, the AIA produces ARCHAEOLOGY magazine, and the Archaeology website, www.archaeology.org, with exclusive features and reviews, daily archaeological headlines from around the world, and our Interactive Digs, which actually take you into the field.
The AIA’s other outreach programs include AIA Tours, with in-depth land tours and small-ship cruises to archaeological sites worldwide, all led by experts. Society Outreach Grants provide AIA local Societies with a means to expand public awareness through archaeology fairs, workshops and other events. The AIA also organizes International Archaeology Day, which now reaches over 100,000 people each October through hundreds of events across the globe. The AIA has long been a powerful voice against looting and the illicit trade in undocumented antiquities and for the preservation of archaeological sites, monuments, and artifacts; since 2007, the AIA has been awarding Site Preservation Grants, and is currently supporting projects across five continents.
You may join the AIA as a regular member or student member. New memberships are reasonably priced, and include subscription to ARCHAEOLOGY magazine. An AIA membership allows you to apply for all AIA scholarships, fellowships, and grants. It also gives you a powerful networking forum with those in your field.
