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Britton Shepardson, Ph.D. (terevaka.net gmail.com)
Britton began working with the local community on Rapa Nui in July of 2000. Originally, his interests were in archaeological research, and funded by the National Science Foundation. His research first focused on the creation and seriation analysis of a GIS database of over 700 megalithic statues on Easter Island and spatial analysis of historic territorial divisions on the island related to inland statuary. Efforts on the island quickly shifted to educational outreach, and in 2003 Britton founded Terevaka Archaeological Outreach (TAO) in an effort to empower the local island community to learn from, conserve, and celebrate the island's rich archaeological and natural resources. Britton continues to direct and design curriculum for TAO, working closely with community experts to target some of the most critical issues in island development for the near future. TAO has now graduated over 200 local students and published various academic articles on their activities. |
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EDUCATION: |
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| 2010 | Post-Baccalaureate, Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, Education. | |
| 2006 | Ph.D.,
University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Archaeology.
Dissertation: "Explaining Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Energy Investment in the Prehistoric Statuary of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)" |
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| 2002 | M.A., University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Anthropology. | |
| 2000 | B.A., Claremont McKenna College, Mathematics. | |
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND APPOINTMENTS: |
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| 2018-present | Senior Lecturer,
Anthropology Department, Northern Arizona University
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| 2003-present | Founder and Director,
Terevaka Archaeological Outreach - 501(c)(3) non-profit As Director, I have been responsible for the program's curriculum, fund-raising, research design, publications, and website. Each year, I direct an intensive educational outreach program (four weeks, 20 students, 8-10 staff) on Easter Island. |
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| 2019-present | Consultant,
Secretaria Técnica de Patrimonio Rapa Nui, National Council of Monuments of Chile
Developing the first monitoring and intervention conservation plan for Rapa Nui National Park (Easter Island, Chile). |
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| 2019-present | Consultant,
Metropolitan-Touring, Ecuador
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| 2012-2018 | Lecturer, Anthropology Department, Northern Arizona University
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| 2014-2017 | Associate Chair,
Anthropology Department, Northern Arizona University
Managing administrative and pedagogical resources, providing technology training and support for 25 faculty, developing departmental web presence. |
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| 2012-2017 | Board of Directors,
Easter Island Foundation - 501(c)(3) non-profit Fundraising, administering university scholarships, strategic planning for research, conservation, and education initiatives. |
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| 2015 | Co-Director,
Tamarindito Ethnoarchaeological Project, Vanderbilt University
Developing an indigenous empowerment/educational program for Q'eqchi' Maya communities in tropical, lowland Guatemala. |
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| 2012-2013 | Co-Editor and Editorial Review Board,
Rapa Nui Journal
Soliciting submissions, coordinating peer-reviewed research articles and reports, copy-editing, and translating for the regional journal of the Easter Island Foundation. |
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| 2010-2011 | Research Associate in Anthropology,
Vanderbilt University
Developing community and educational outreach programs in conjunction with the Tamarindito Archaeological Project in tropical lowland Guatemala. |
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| 2009-2011 | Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology,
University of New Mexico
Assisting in the development of an M.A. program in Public Archaeology. Developing educational outreach initiatives with the Ortiz Center at UNM. |
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| 2006-2008 | Research Associate,
Hawai'i Archaeological Research Project
Creating and managing a GIS computer database for long-term archaeological research goals of the University of Hawai'i on the island of Hawai'i. |
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| 2006 | Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Declined Offer),
University College London Selected for a two-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Mathematical Modeling of Cultural Evolution, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Archaeology. |
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| 2004 | Research Scholar,
Santa Fe Institute
Participated in a one month multi-disciplinary think tank, concentrating on agent-based computer simulation and mathematical/computer analysis of complex systems. |
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AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND GRANTS: |
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| 2012-present |
Explora,
Chile
Financial and logistical support for a yearly educational outreach program on Easter Island. Food, lodging, and transportation provided each year for educational outreach efforts on Easter Island. |
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| 2012-present | Private Donations
Funds raised in donations to support educational outreach on Easter Island. |
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| 2009-present | Fraternal Order of Moai
Financial support for educational outreach program on Easter Island. |
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| 2008-present | Easter Island Foundation
Financial and administrative support for a long-term archaeological project integrating archaeological research, educational outreach, and heritage management on Easter Island. |
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| 2007-present | Easter Island Foundation
Financial and administrative support for a long-term archaeological project integrating archaeological research, educational outreach, and heritage management on Easter Island. |
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| 2012 | Sustainable Economic Development Initiative of Northern Arizona
Sustainability in Education for the 21st Century Award received for a GIS approach to the study of locally-made products in Flagstaff, AZ. |
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| 2008-2009 | Abercrombie and Kent, Inc. Philanthropy
Financial support for a long-term archaeological project integrating research, educational outreach, and heritage management on Easter Island. |
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| 2008-2009 | Friends of Conservation
Financial support for project integrating research, educational outreach, and heritage management on Easter Island. |
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| 2006 | Colegio Hermano Eugenio Eyraud, Easter Island
Honorary diploma awarded for outstanding contribution in cultural education. |
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| 2005-2006 | National Science Foundation
Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant to analyze stylistic variation among Easter Island statuary using quantitative research methods. |
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| 2005 | Graduate Student Organization, University of Hawai'i
Funding to attend national meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. |
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| 2002-2005 | National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship in support of an archaeology project designed to analyze temporal and spatial variability in prehistoric statuary of Easter Island. |
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| 2004 | Santa Fe Institute, New Mexico
Funding to attend the one-month, multi-disciplinary 2004 SFI Complex Systems Summer School. |
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| 2004 | Travel Funds for Professional Improvement, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Funding to attend national meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. |
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| 2001-2002 | Tuition Award, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Anthropology Department award based on academic merit. |
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE: |
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| 2018-present | Senior Lecturer, Northern Arizona University
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| 2003-present | Director, Terevaka Archaeological
Outreach-501(c)(3) non-profit
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| 2012-2018 | Lecturer, Northern Arizona University
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| 2011-2013 | Teacher, Flagstaff Junior Academy
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| 2009-2011 | Teacher, Charlotte Middle School, TN
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| 2005-2007 | Lecturer, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
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| 2006 | Teaching Assistant, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
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| 2001-2002 | Teaching Assistant, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
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PUBLICATIONS: |
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