Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute
Ways to Participate
Also, see memberships for our Soil Stewardship Program.
Students gaining field credits through University of Montana or Montana State University may sign up and pay the Student Archaeological Field Experience fee ($500) to gain access to all of our projects for 2026. Registered students will gain valuable field experience and students will be required to put in lab hours for post-processing OR present a poster at a conference. Students who commit to the field experience gain access to many career-advancing perks. Please email Scott and Sari at info@alpineresearch.org to discuss opportunities available for the 2026 field season.
Students who are not gaining university credits for a field experience may register as public volunteers and gain access to projects if volunteer slots are available.
Students: Archaeological Field Experience
Students will gain:
Field Experience
Through our field experiences, students will gain experience in one or more field techniques and recording practices.
Lab Experience
Our lab allows us to offer limited curation experience. Please contact us directly if this is your or your student's primary goal. Students who gain field experience credits will be required to complete 40 hours of lab experience OR present a poster at a conference.
Specialized Advising
A good advisor will tell you to pick a school and advisor that excels in your area of interest. If you are interested in joining our projects as a student, reach out for more information about our research, and feel free to share your interests as well. Students who opt for lab experience or who present a poster will gain valuable instruction.
Letters of Reference
Our program builds student careers. Please submit a writing sample if you think you or your student will require a letter of reference.
Student Archaeological Field Experience
500$Students get priority to all archaeological fieldwork opportunities for one year and gain field school experience.Valid for 12 months- Newsletters, annual reports, letters of reference
Sponsor a University Accredited Student
47$Every monthYour contribution will go directly to our "Sponsored Student Field Experience" Fund. You gain access to projects with Basic Member status. One year of payments sponsors one student. Cancel anytime!- Newsletters, annual reports, and a big thank you from us
Public Volunteer Memberships
Volunteer Memberships
AERI hosts a number of archaeological fieldwork projects. Each year, AERI members come to volunteer and make these projects possible.
AERI is a member- and grant-supported 501(c)(3) that focuses on research and education around the roles of humans in the past, present, and future of conservation in mountainous ecosystems.
We take samples and log data to answer questions like:
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What was the environment like?
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What does the human presence tell us about what life was like during those times?
Our data collection methods are careful and slow. Members of the public are welcome to participate in our projects to learn more about the natural and cultural histories of our beautiful mountain landscapes.
If you are interested on joining or supporting our archaeological fieldwork projects, please select one of the options below.
Basic Member
25$Every yearGain access to volunteer projects, blog post, newsletters, and announcements for one year! *Not valid for field school students getting credits at University of Montana or Montana State University.- Gain access to Volunteer projects and more
Active Member
100$Every yearReceive exclusive annual reports, blog posts, and AERI project updates for one year! *Not valid for students receiving field school credits at University of Montana or Montana State University.- Exclusive updates and preference of projects
Sponsor a University Accredited Student
47$Every monthYour contribution will go directly to our "Sponsored Student Field Experience" Fund. You gain access to projects with Basic Member status. One year of payments sponsors one student. Cancel anytime!- Newsletters, annual reports, and a big thank you from us
Soil Stewardship Memberships
The Soil Stewardship Program's main goals:
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Disseminating research and edication on soil health and remediation
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Connecting living people with wild edible species, and other species that were historically altered by human cultures
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Education about responsible harvesting of wild edible species
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Soil remediation in southwest Montana
If you are interested in supporting our soil stewardship program, please select one of the options below...
Plant a Seed
10$Every yearGain exclusive access to all AERI blog posts, newsletters, and announcements. Be the first to learn about our research on the past and present through the channels of archaeology and soil regeneration30 day free trial- Blog posts, updates, and annual reports
Free Trial
0$Gain access to blog posts for one month. Gain access to newsletters, and announcements pertaining to regenerative soils, research, field dates, workshops, and local restoration projects for one year.Valid for one month- Not valid for Volunteer Projects
Inquiry
If you need some help deciding how you would like to participate, let us know if you have any questions, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
