Influential Women honors archaeologist Polly Anna Burnette

Influential Women is recognizing Polly Anna Burnette for a career spanning international excavations, academic training, and cultural resource management in the Midwest. Her work at Chronicle Heritage and her mentorship of students highlight the growing link between archaeology, preservation, and public outreach. Why it matters: - Polly Anna Burnette’s career shows how archaeology now blends field excavation, technical reporting, cultural heritage preservation, and public-facing mentorship. - Her work in cultural resource management helps determine how development, policy, and preservation goals are balanced on active project sites. - Her environmental advocacy adds another layer to that work by connecting heritage protection with watershed stewardship. What happened: - Influential Women is honoring Polly Anna Burnette for her work in archaeology and cultural resource management. - Burnette serves as an Associate Archaeologist at Chronicle Heritage. - Burnette works on cultural resource management projects across the Midwest. - Burnette’s background includes fieldwork in Spain, Israel, Romania, and Serbia. - Burnette also contributed to projects with Friends of the River Rouge. The details: - Burnette earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. - A field school scholarship allowed Burnette to excavate a Neanderthal site in southern Spain. - That experience led to internships at the Smithsonian Institution and the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. - Burnette built early expertise in zooarchaeology, laboratory methods, and excavation practices through those roles. - Burnette earned a master’s degree at Cornell University in Near Eastern studies, anthropology, and archaeology. - At Cornell, Burnette expanded her excavation experience through fieldwork in Israel. - Burnette also developed skills in laboratory management, research methods, and student mentorship during graduate study. - Burnette received research support through CIAMS Hirsch Travel and Research Grants. - Burnette’s current work includes archaeological surveys, monitoring, laboratory processing, and urban excavation projects. - Burnette is SOI qualified. - Burnette leads field crews, supports compliance with archaeological standards, and produces technical reports. - Burnette regularly speaks with students and young professionals about archaeology and career development. Between the lines: - Burnette’s path suggests that archaeology careers often depend on a mix of academic training, unpaid or low-paid field opportunities, and strong professional networking. - Burnette places unusual emphasis on reliability and follow-through, which signals how much archaeology depends on trust in the field. - Burnette also points to political and funding shifts as a real operational risk for contract-based archaeology work. - Her comments on travel show a profession where location can shape both career satisfaction and long-term sustainability. What’s next: - Burnette says she is working toward a stage in her career with less constant field travel. - Burnette will likely continue balancing Midwest project work, mentorship, and technical responsibilities at Chronicle Heritage. - Burnette’s profile on Influential Women is available here . The bottom line: - Burnette’s career reflects the modern archaeologist’s role: part scientist, part project manager, part mentor, and part preservation advocate.