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Reynolds College Blog

Center for Archaeological Research marks 50th anniversary with unique challenges and big dreams

March 4, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Archaeological dig site

A small, unassuming building on Missouri State University’s main campus houses one of its busiest and most far-reaching programs — the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research.

Nicknamed “CAR,” the Center does more than dig for old bones. In addition to its educational, research and public outreach activities, CAR has provided archaeological services to state and local communities since 1975.

CAR is also headquarters to the Missouri Archaeological Society (MAS).

In fact, CAR is the only public research center dedicated to the archaeology of Missouri and the Ozarks, according to its director, Kevin Cupka Head.

Celebrating 50 years

Man sitting at desk
CAR Director Kevin Cupka Head. Photo credit: Lynn Lansdown.

To mark the Center’s fiftieth anniversary, Cupka Head noted that several activities are in the works, including a CAR alumni reunion and a commemorative history to be published on the web and possibly in book form.

In addition, as part of Missouri’s Archaeology Month in September, CAR will hold a public artifact ID day.

“Members of the public can bring in artifacts or curiosities for identification by experts,” Cupka Head said.

Cupka Head hopes the anniversary activities will bring attention to the Center’s “impressive contributions to the archaeology and history of the Ozarks.”

“The MSU community can take pride in and ownership of our role as stewards of over 15,000 years of Missouri history,” Cupka Head said.

Services in demand

Among its services, CAR’s faculty and staff assist government agencies and the private sector in performing cultural resource assessments. Currently, the Center is working on just under 40 active projects and has proposals out for roughly 30 more, according to Cupka Head.

“It’s often a case where we’ll have one or two really big contracts and then a bunch of small to medium sized contracts,” he said.

Most of CAR’s projects are surveys to assess a potential development project. “New sidewalks. A bridge replacement. Larger than that sometimes, such as industrial developments,” Cupka Head explained.

CAR can conduct various geophysical investigations, such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetometry, Cupka Head said. “We can also conduct several specialized laboratory procedures, such as electrolytic rust removal, flotation and the recovery and preparation of C14 samples,” Cupka Head said. CAR evaluates and then makes recommendations as to whether further work is needed.

The Center’s current projects include the Jordan Creek renewal project in downtown Springfield, archaeological monitoring of Boeing’s St. Louis airport expansion project, and numerous transportation and infrastructure projects throughout the state.

Meanwhile, many of CAR’s smaller projects directly serve the Ozarks. “We’re willing to take on a lot of smaller jobs and specialized jobs that some of the larger firms just pass on,” Cupka Head said.

These include HUD projects, rural developments and city improvement projects such as water and sewer line installations.

[Read more…] about Center for Archaeological Research marks 50th anniversary with unique challenges and big dreams

Filed Under: Community Engagement, Cultural Competence, Ethical Leadership, Faculty Research, Feature, RCASH Highlights, Research Tagged With: Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, Kevin Cupka Head, Missouri Archaeology Society

CAR research archaeologist Christopher Bodine presents at NASA symposium

October 16, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Man giving presentation

Missouri State University Research Archaeologist Christopher Bodine recently presented his work at the “NASA and Archaeology from Space” symposium, held Sept. 18-19 at NASA’s Space Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Bodine, who works at the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, presented “Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR): SAR Data for Detection and Preservation in North American Archaeological Contexts.”

Symposium attendees came from a diverse range of organizations and institutions, Bodine noted. These included NASA, the National Laboratories system, UNESCO, North American and European universities and private industries.

Many of these individuals have been essential in developing and applying arial remote sensing techniques in archaeology, he added.

[Read more…] about CAR research archaeologist Christopher Bodine presents at NASA symposium

Filed Under: Conferences, Faculty Accomplishments, Faculty Research, RCASH Highlights, Research Tagged With: Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, Christopher Bodine, Kevin Cupka Head

Center for Archaeological Research helps Christian County Museum with new exhibit opening April 20

April 16, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Farmhouse and farm buildings

The Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at Missouri State University recently collaborated with the Christian County Museum to develop a new exhibit featuring the Mullins-Taylor farm in Christian County.

The exhibit will debut Saturday, April 20 from 3-5 p.m. at the museum, which is part of the Christian County Historical Society.

The museum is located at 100 E. Elm St., Ozark, Missouri.

CAR director to speak at exhibit opening

The director of CAR, Kevin Cupka Head, will speak at the exhibit’s opening April 20.

Cupka Head will outline the research methods and findings from CAR’s initial examination of the Mullins-Taylor farmstead before it was demolished by its current owner, James River Church, in Sept. 2022.

He first learned about the site in May 2022 when he received an email from P.J. Logan.

According to Cupka Head, Logan who—along with the late Keith Kissee—conducted much of the preliminary archival and historical research about the site, then compiled an Eligibility Assessment (EA) report.

Then in August 2022, CAR then built on this initial research and compiled an addendum of the site’s archaeological, historical and cultural value.

The team presented their findings to James River Church representatives, who granted permission to conduct a preliminary examination but denied permission to excavate the site.

[Read more…] about Center for Archaeological Research helps Christian County Museum with new exhibit opening April 20

Filed Under: Announcements, Community Engagement, Cultural Competence, Ethical Leadership, Event News, Exhibitions, Faculty Research, RCASH Highlights, Research Tagged With: Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, Kevin Cupka Head, Public Affairs

Dr. Daniel Pierce joins Center for Archaeological Research

September 27, 2023 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Man using archaeology equipment

When a research archaeologist position recently opened at Missouri State University, Dr. Daniel Pierce jumped at the chance to return home.

Pierce, the newest member of the archaeological research team at the Bernice Warren Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), learned of the position while working at a Florida university.

The timing was perfect, Pierce acknowledged, as he was ready to “move on.”

“Missouri State is a homecoming of sorts,” the St. Louis native said. “I never expected to end up back in my home state. But I am glad to be back.”

[Read more…] about Dr. Daniel Pierce joins Center for Archaeological Research

Filed Under: Faculty Accomplishments, Faculty Research, Feature, RCASH Highlights, Research Tagged With: Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, Daniel Pierce, Kevin Cupka Head

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