News

Susan Kooiman, PhD, Department of Anthropology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is the 2024 recipient of the Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award. This prestigious award celebrates her significant advancements in her field of archaeology, including her impactful research on the Great Lakes and Midwest regions. Kooiman’s impact has not only enriched academic understanding at SIUE but has advanced the field of archaeology.

Kooiman, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at SIUE, was honored with the Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award in the spring of 2024. Since joining the tenure-track faculty in the fall of 2019, Kooiman has distinguished herself by winning The Midwest Archaeology Conference (MAC) Dissertation Award, which included a contract with the University of Notre Dame Press to publish her dissertation. On November 15, 2021, her dissertation was officially published, transforming into the book titled Ancient Cuisine, Technology, and Society in the Northern Great Lakes.

The study of long-term dietary and technological adaptations has improved due to Kooiman's research in the Northern Great Lakes. Her dissertation and articles examine the controversy concerning the region's changing subsistence patterns over time. Kooiman's fieldwork in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has included gathering lake sediment core samples in summer 2021 and small-scale archaeological excavations in summer 2023. These efforts yielded important information about vegetation, climate, and traditional Indigenous lifeways.

Since Kooiman began teaching at SIUE, she has also published three articles in peer-reviewed journals, including The Wisconsin Archeologist, Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology, American Antiquity, and Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, which is currently the fourth-highest ranked (most cited) archaeology journal in the world on SCImago Journal Rank.

While reflecting on the significance of the Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award, Kooiman stated, “It was quite the lovely surprise to find out that I won. I felt proud of myself because I have been working very hard on this research, and it was nice to have it recognized. I also felt humbled because this is something I love to do.”

Kooiman views the award as a boost not only for her but also for her department. “The most important aspect for me professionally is actually the attention it brings to my department. Anthropology is a smaller department, and so it’s an honor for me to bring recognition to my department, which is also full of amazing researchers and scholars,” she said.

The $6,000 grant associated with the award will go towards supporting her research, particularly through additional archaeological excavations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “The money will go towards funding additional excavations at small interior archaeological sites,” Kooiman explained. “These sites have been kind of ignored because they’re small, but we think they’re important for understanding human-environment interactions.”

Kooiman is also excited about the potential to strengthen relationships with local Native American communities through this research. “We’re really hoping to establish better, deeper relationships with local Tribes and actually have them become part of our project,” she noted. “We want to engage with them to ask what they would like us to research and the direction of our future work.”

Involving students in her research is a key priority for Kooiman. “I will be inviting students to join our excavation next summer, giving them valuable hands-on experience,” she said. “Using research as a teaching tool has been extremely beneficial, and I’m committed to integrating students into the research process.”

Looking forward, Kooiman plans to present her findings at major conferences, including the Midwest Archaeology Conference and the Society for American Archaeology meetings. “I’m also hoping to use my upcoming sabbatical to write a publication based on this research,” she added.

Kooiman acknowledged the support she has received from SIUE and her department. “SIUE has given me internal funds and support that have been crucial for my research,” she said. “I’m really thankful for the opportunities provided by both SIUE and the Department of Anthropology.”

Winning the Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award not only highlights Kooiman’s achievements but also displays the amazing research community at SIUE. Stephen Hansen, PhD, faculty emeritus, established the Lindsay Research Professorship Endowment that funds the award in honor of Vaughnie Lindsay, who served as graduate dean from 1973-1986. Lindsay was responsible for creating much of the infrastructure that supports faculty research and scholarly activity at SIUE. Faculty and emeriti faculty at the time of the award’s conception donated the funds to endow the award.

Those wishing to help support new investigators through the award may donate to the Graduate School. 
  
PHOTO:  SIUE’s Susan Kooiman, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at SIUE