My Experience with FPAN and HMS Florida
This past summer, I had the unique opportunity of interning with the Florida Public Archaeology Network as a Heritage Monitoring Scout. As a future history major with an interest in museum curation and archaeology, I was so excited to partake in this program, even with all the challenges of the COVID-19 safety measures, which limited the internship activities I could partake in.
My mentor, Emily Jane, was extremely helpful in guiding me throughout my time with FPAN. She was willing to meet and show me exactly how to fill out the forms and to use the HMS website. She has been very supportive during my internship, willing to work with my busy schedule and around COVID procedures, and has constantly checked up on me throughout. I greatly appreciate all she has done for me, and am thankful for her guidance.
As an intern with FPAN, I was able to become part of the Heritage Monitoring Scouts (HMS Florida) project, a statewide program where volunteers can travel to historical locations in the region and monitor different landmarks and sites. The goal of HMS Florida is "tracking changes to archaeological sites at risk, particularly those impacted by climate change in the form of erosion and sea level rise."
Through HMS Florida, I was able to visit location such as St. Augustine and monitor landmarks like the Castillo de San Marcos for erosion, storm damage, any noticeable artifacts and whether further site visitation would be necessary. Through the experience of taking a closer look at these sites, many of which had never been monitored before, I was able to grow a deeper appreciation for archaeologists who work tirelessly to ensure the preservation of history throughout Florida.
Overall, my experience as an intern with the Florida Public Archaeology Network has been unforgettable and has taught me valuable information about the life and work of an archaeologist in the field. I am very grateful to Emily Jane and to everyone at FPAN for making my internship possible, especially during such a crazy year.
Text and photos by Ashley Theilacker, FPAN intern.