Public Engagement Programs

Ask An Archaeologist

Over the years, The Archaeological Research Facility’s (ARF) engagement programs have included regular lunch talks featuring archaeologists and their research, as well as a robust Cal Day Program. These popular programs include an Ask an Archaeologist series of interviews with Cal archaeologists and researchers collaborating with the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology.

To view past and live interviews, visit The ARF’s YouTube channel at: bit.ly/askarf.

Examples of Ask An Archaeologist Talks:

  • "What is zooarchaeology and what can a skull teach us about animal senses?" with Jun Sunseri (Watch)
  • "Poopy Archaeology" with AJ White (Watch)
  • "How do archaeologists use ground-penetrating radar to map buried artifacts and ruins before they begin an excavation?" with Scott Byram (Watch)
  • "Digging up the Heroes of Ancient Greece" with Kim Shelton (Watch)
  • "Community Archaeology in Sudan" with Elizabeth Minor (Watch)
  • "Chang'an, counterpart to Rome and Alexandria" with Michael Nylan (Watch)
  • "Examining Etruscan Eggs: Life, Afterlife and Funerary Meals" with Lisa Pieraccini (Watch)
  • "Working with Museum Collections" with Chris Lowman (Watch)
  • "Archaeology and the Proposed Interpretive Trail at Fort Ross State Historic Park" with Kent Lightfoot (Watch)
  • "Network analysis and museums-based research in Eastern Europe and the Arab World" with Sara Ann Knutson (Watch)

To see a complete list of Ask an Archaeologist interviews, visit The ARF’s YouTube channel.

Typical In-Person Cal Day Activities

Cal Day, an annual open house at UC Berkeley, welcomes prospective and current students, kids and families, and the wider community with the opportunity to explore the campus and enjoy hundreds of free events. On Cal Day, The ARF offers the public a full day of lectures, panel discussions, lab tours, and popular hands-on activities.

Examples of activities and talks have included: 

  • Bones and Their Stories
  • Cave and Rock Art Painting
  • Dig Like an Archaeologist!
  • Paleoethnobotany: Ancient Plants and the People Who Used Them
  • Play with Clay
  • Putting the Pieces Back Together: Ceramic Reconstruction
  • Archaeology and Museums: Working Together for an Accessible and Inclusive Past
  • Jomon Food Diversity, Climate Change, and Sustainability from Prehistoric Japan
  • What Does it Take to Get a Job as an Archaeologist?
  • Indigenous Voices and Petroglyph Rock Art at Lava Beds National Monument 
 

Additional Resources for Teachers

Discover educational resources online. The ARF hosts links to several high-quality sources below.

Explore Archaeology Education Clearinghouse links to educational material for grades K-6 and grades 6-12.