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MAC logo 2024 Annual Meeting

Online Registration and Abstract Submission will open July 7th!

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (October 16–19, 2024)

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Anthropology and UWM CRM
Hyatt Hotel & Conference Center
333 W Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 276-1234

 

Meeting Organizers and Contact Information

Brian Nicholls  nicholls@uwm.edu

Bob Jeske  jeske@uwm.edu
Jennifer Haas  haasjr@uwm.edu
Ashley Lemke  ashlemke@uwm.edu
Rick Edwards wedwards@uwm.edu

 

Conference Theme

This year's theme for the conference is Inspiring Students. A series of programs, workshops, and tours are being designed to engage the next generation of archaeologists. 

 

Student Support

To promote and encourage student attendance at the conference, we are offering a reduced registration fee for Student MAC Members and travel grants to offset hotel costs. Travel grants, in the form of reduced hotel rates, will be provided to the first 50 students or until funding runs out. The reduced hotel rate is available on a first come first serve basis.

If interested in the student travel grant, please email a copy of your hotel reservation to Brian Nicholls (nicholls@uwm.edu). 

 

Please Sponsor! We Need Your Help!

The Midwest Archaeological Conference is only made possible through our generous sponsors. For MAC 2024, in addition to supporting the conference, we are providing funding to encourage participation and attendance by students. Please consider a donation to the MAC – all donations are tax-deductible.

We are offering several sponsorship tiers for institutions as well as opportunities for individual donors (including UWM alumni).

Please make a donation through our sponsorship website. 

If you would like to help support students to travel to the annual meeting, consider donating to the Student Travel Award.

Thank you!

 

Hotel and Parking

Hotel

Conference Hotel is:

Hyatt Hotel & Conference Center
333 W Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 276-123

Conference Hotel Rates:

Parking and Directions

Parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the Hyatt Place.    

 

Registration Steps and Options

Registration for the MAC will open in the spring of 2024 (date TBD). The first 100 registrants will be entered in a drawing for MAC 2024 swag.

Regular registration must occur prior to submission of abstracts. Regular registration rates are in effect until September 15th, 2024 and should be purchased online through the MAC website. Late registration rates start on September 15th, 2024 and after October 4th, 2024 all registration must be done in person at the meeting with on-site rates. 

We have some support for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and Tribal Archaeologists. Contact the host committee for more information

A digital version of the meeting program with abstracts will be available as a .pdf file on the website and on a downloadable app.  One paper copy of the meeting program is included with the registration fee when purchased online. No extra paper copies of abstracts will be available at the meeting.  

Registration fees include meeting workshops (some with lunch), coffee breaks, and a ticket to the Friday formal reception (cash bar).

Registration Steps

  1. Look through and decide which registration option from the list below is most appropriate for you.

  2. Make sure you are logged into your MAC user account (or create a new account if you don't have one yet) and visit your My Account page.

  3. On your My Account page:

    • Scroll down to the MAC Annual Meeting banner and click on the blue button to complete the MAC Presidential Task Force anti-harassment policy certification (see Behavioral Expectations section below). 

    • Purchase your registration. Make sure to submit your meeting preferences at this time as well.

    • Submit abstracts to symposia and presentations (for MAC members only)

    • Double check or edit your "My Meeting Preferences" for receptions and workshops.

Registration Type Online Early
Price*		 Online Late
Price*		 On-site
Price*
Regular MAC Member** $150 $175 $175
Retiree MAC Member** $110 $140 $140
Student MAC Member** $30 $80 $80
Non-MAC Member $175 $190 $190
Student non-MAC Member $85 $100 $100
Attendee Guest (does not include Friday reception) n/a n/a $45
Single Day (does not include Friday reception) n/a n/a $60
Single Day for Students only (does not include Friday reception) n/a n/a $20

* Regular price registration is available to purchase online through the MAC website through September 15th, 2024. Online late registrations will take place between September 16th and October 4th, 2024. After October 4th, 2024 registrations and other purchases will be on-site only.

**Current members of MAC are eligible to make presentations (paper, poster) at the Annual Meeting. If you are not a current MAC member but wish to make a presentation, you must first become a member of MAC, Inc.
Other Purchases Online
Price		 On-site
Price
Ticket for Friday Reception n/a $20*
Vendor Table $75/table n/a

* The formal Reception (Friday night) is included in meeting registration price except for Attendee Guests and Single Day registrants. To participate, the reception ticket must be paid for separately for these categories.

 

Workshops

Several workshops are being planned for the conference including: Paleoindian/Archaic Material Culture, Ceramic Material Culture, and Student Mentor mixers. Stay tuned for more information!

Student Workshop

Classroom to Career: Strategies for Aspiring Archaeologists
Friday, October 18, 2024 (11:00 am-1:00 pm)
Cost: free for students, limited to the first 30 students to register
Lunch will be provided. Register on My Meeting Preferences. 

You got your degree. Now what? Join us for a moderated panel featuring industry and university professionals from various sectors followed by a sit-down discussion with a panelist of your choice. This insightful event for undergraduates and graduate students alike, aims to equip students with invaluable insights into diverse career opportunities within archaeology. Our panelists will share their expertise, experiences, and advice, guiding students in navigating the complex landscape of archaeology careers and empowering them to chart a course toward a successful and fulfilling career in archaeology.

 

Panel Session 

MAC 2024 is soliciting interest for a Panel Session based on this year's theme of Inspiring Students. Stay tuned for more information!

 

Receptions

Receptions are planned for each evening of the conference. Please register for some or all of these receptions on your My Meeting Preferences.

1. A Welcome Reception will be held at the conference hotel on Wednesday evening. Advance registration on My Meeting Preferences is required. Appetizers and cash bar.

2. UWM will host a reception at their Archaeological Research Laboratory Center on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus on Thursday evening. This event is included in the registration fee. Advance registration on My Meeting Preferences is required. Shuttle transportation will be provided to and from Hyatt/UWM. Shuttle service will run before, during, and after the reception. 

3. A Reception will be held at the conference hotel on Friday evening from 4:30 to 8 pm. This event is included in the registration fee. Advance registration on My Meeting Preferences is required. Heavy apps and cash bar. The MAC meeting will take place during this event from 5-6 pm. 

 

Planned Field Trips 

 MAC 2024 will host several field trips and tours.

  • Historic Milwaukee Walking Tour (Saturday morning, October 19th and Self-Guided Tours)
  • Aztalan National Historic Landmark, Jefferson County on Thursday, October 17th
  • Pabst Brewery Tour (student only event) on Thursday morning, October 17th
  • Milwaukee Public Museum, Behind the Scenes with Dawn Scher Thomae on Friday, October 18th.
  • Lizard Mound State Park (Wisconsin DNR) and Nitschke Mounds Park, Dodge County on Saturday morning, October 19th
  • Student excursion to Pabst Brewery on Thursday, October 18th

Advanced registration and additional fees may be required for the tours, except for the historic Milwaukee Walking Tour - Self Guided option.

Tour: Aztalan National Historic Landmark–John Richards & Mark Dudzik

  • Registration required
  • Thursday, October 17th, 8:30am-3:00pm
  • Transportation Provided ($25/person, Capped at 56)
  • Transportation (on your own), must display a park sticker:
    ($8 [WI license plate] or $11 [out of state]/vehicle, purchase here)
  • Confirmation email – Will be sent out for tour details

Tour: Milwaukee Public Museum Behind the Scenes Tours

A Visit to the Milwaukee Public Museum: The Milwaukee Public Museum is one of the largest natural history museums in the country and includes archaeological collections from the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Learn about how we are selecting anthropological items for  the new museum, due to open in 2027, during a peek behind the scenes in the Anthropology Department Lab. Your visit includes an opportunity to explore our three floors of local and global exhibits afterwards. 

  • Registration required [My Meeting Preferences]
  • Friday, October 18th
  • While the tours are free, admission ticket(s) will need to be purchased for the museum:
    • Adult 18-64: $24
    • Teen 14-17: $24
    • Senior 65+: $20
    • Youth 4-13: $18
    • Military/College: $20
  • Three separate tours:
    • 10:30am, capped at 15
    • 1:30pm, capped at 15
    • 2:30 pm, capped at 15

Tour: Lizard Mounds State Park and Nitschke Mounds Tours - EFFIGY MOUNDS – R.Kubicek (possibly Mark Bruhy & Katie Egan-Bruhy)

  • Registration required
  • Saturday, October 19th, 8:30am to 3:30pm
  • Transportation Provided ($25/person, capped at 56)
  • Transportation (on your own), must display a park sticker
    ($8 [WI license plate] or $11 [out of state]/vehicle, purchase here)
  • Confirmation email – Will be sent out for tour details

Tour: Historic Milwaukee Walking Tour (Justin Miller)

  • Registration required (cappped at 20)
  • Saturday, October 19th, 10:45 am to 1:30 pm
  • Walking from the conference hotel
  • The tour will be roughly 1-2 miles in length and take approximately 1-2 hours
  • Confirmation email – Will be sent out for tour details

Student Excursion [For Students Only]

Beer History Tour at the Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery
Thursday, 7:30 pm
Free for students [Limited to 50]. Register on My Meeting Preferences. 

Join the Anthropology Student Union at UWM for a brewery tour like no other as we dive into the rich history of the Pabst Brewing Co. and its pivotal role in Milwaukee's proud brewing culture. Relive this colorful history as we learn how the Best and Pabst families grew the brewery to become America's largest by 1874 and then how the brewery declined over the decades before finally closing its doors in 1996. The Pabst Brewery is just a 20-minute walk from the Hyatt Hotel with some carpooling options available if needed. The tour comes with one free beer or soda, and you must be 21 or older to drink alcohol.

 

Behavioral Expectations

To help prevent incidents of harassment in any form at our annual meetings, the MAC anti-harassment Presidential Task Force has established a policy requiring all annual meeting registrants to certify that they are not currently cited or censured under Title IX, by the Register of Professional Archaeologists, or by any other adjudicating body, or subject to a current restraining or no-contact order issued by a judicial authority. Registration for the annual meeting will not be possible without this certification step being completed. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the MAC President.

 

Abstract Submissions

Papers on all topics of interest to midwestern archaeologists, precontact to historic, are welcome. This year, the conference theme is Inspiring Students. Papers and posters addressing the many ways we inspire students are particularly welcomed. 

Papers will generally be 15 minutes in length, but symposia organizers may propose other formats. Abstracts should be no more than 150 words. Symposium organizers will submit an abstract for each symposium online through the MAC website. Symposium submissions must include the symposium title, symposium abstract, and a list of all symposium presentations by contributor(s). Symposium organizers create a unique key code and provide it to presenters – presenters then use this code in their individual submissions.

After you have registered for the meeting, MAC members can start their submission from your My Account page.

 

*Special note on the use of images of human remains: The MAC recognizes that images of human remains have the potential to be offensive and unsettling to some members of our community and those communities with whom we work. MAC policy encourages presenters NOT to use photographs of human remains but that if essential, line drawings are preferred. We ask that presenters please indicate on their abstract submission that your presentation will include any such images of human remains. We will mark these with an asterisk in the program and on the conference app. We also request that presenters disclose at the beginning of their presentations if such images are included. These measures are intended to create a more respectful environment for all.

 

Paper and Poster Abstract Submissions:

Submission deadline is September 15, 2024.

All paper and poster presentation submissions will be done online through the MAC website.

  • Each individual submission must include the following: Title, Author(s) (with institutions), and Abstract Text. Each presenter may submit multiple presentations; there is no limit to the number of co-authorships. *If a presenter has conflicting presentations (scheduled at the same time), it is their responsibility to find someone to read their papers.
  • Abstracts are limited to 150 words in length.
  • If your presentation is part of a symposium, you must also include the symposium Key Code provided by the symposium's organizer.
  • Poster display options and size guidelines are still under consideration.

Symposium Abstract Submissions:

Submission deadline is Septemeber 15, 2024.

Symposium organizers will submit an abstract for each symposium online through the MAC website.

  • Each submission must include the following: Symposium Title, Symposium Abstract Text, and List of all Symposium Presentations with Author(s). 
  • Symposium organizers must create a unique Key Code and provide it to their presenters.
  • Abstracts are limited to 150 words in length.

 

Student Paper Competition

The Midwestern Archaeological Conference Student paper competition was created to promote scholarly excellence among students conducting archaeological research in the midwestern U.S.  The MAC student paper competition was created to promote scholarly excellence among students conducting archaeological research in the Midwestern U.S.  Awards will be decided by the MAC student paper committee based on intellectual merit and methodological execution.

  • The graduate winner receives a cash prize of $150 plus books solicited by the conference organizer from willing vendors.   
  • The undergraduate winner receives a cash prize of $150 plus books solicited by the conference organizer from willing vendors.  In addition, the undergraduate faculty advisor receives a free MAC membership for one year (only one advisor can be designated per student).

Eligibility:

Anyone currently enrolled in a degree granting institution may apply. Papers must be single authored and be submitted by the competition deadline.

How to Apply:

Email your paper as a pdf or word document to the chair of the MAC Student Paper Competition Review (their email) with the subject heading: "MAC Student Paper Competition" prior to the posted deadline.  The paper presented at the conference must have the same content as the manuscript submitted to the competition review committee.  The submitted manuscript must be no more than 10 double spaced pages of text with 12 pt. font.  Accompanying figures, tables, and references cited must be placed on separate pages at the end of the paper and will not count toward the 10 page limit. Papers over 10 pages in length will not be read or otherwise included in the competition.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  September 15, 2024

All submitted manuscripts must include a cover letter with the paper title, abstract, the student’s name, and the degree-granting program and their current status in that program. Undergraduates wishing to designate an advisor must also include the name and affiliation of the advisor. 

The winners of the Competition will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting of the Midwest Archaeological Conference. The winner(s) will receive their prize(s) the following day. The Committee reserves the prerogative to defer the Competition and award in the event of a shortage of entries.

 

Preliminary Schedule of Events

Additional details will be posted when available

Wednesday, October 16th

Afternoon:
Business Meeting

Evening: 
Welcome Reception at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Hotel [Pre-registration is required through My Meeting Preferences]

Thursday, October 17th

Tour:
Aztalan National Historic Landmark (see above for details)

Morning and afternoon: 
Symposia, Contributed Papers, and Posters
Panel Session

Evening
Reception: UW-Milwaukee Archaeology Research Laboratory Center

  • Registration Required
  • 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Student excursion: Pabst Brewery Tour at 7:30 pm

Friday, October 18th

Tours: 
Milwaukee Public Museum Behind the Scenes Tours (see above for details)

Morning:
Symposia, Contributed Papers, and Posters

Afternoon:
Executive Lunch
Student Workshop
Round Tables
Professional Society Meetings

Evening:
Business Meeting & Awards
Reception with heavy apps and cash bar

Saturday, October 19th

Tours:
Lizard Mounds State Park and Nitschke Mound Tours (see above for details)
Historic Milwaukee Walking Tour (see above for details)

Morning:
Symposia, Contributed Papers, and Posters

Afternoon:
Workshops