At the annual AAS Winter meeting, two University of Alabama graduate students were recognized by the Board. Erin Phillips was awarded the Edward C. Mahan Research Grant ($500). Erin received her BA from Tulane and MA from Alabama and is currently pursuing a PhD at Alabama. Erin's research at the graduate level has focused on Moundville. Her thesis, which was based on existing previously excavated and curated remains from Moundville focused on the degree to which elite status was inherited or earned. For her dissertation, she is recording all known instances of pottery decorated in the local Hemphill style, an important Mississippian art style. To accomplish this, her research will include documenting pottery vessels of this type at the Smithsonian and the Museum of the American Indian.

The Steven and Christine Wimberly Scholarship winner ($500) is Cameron Lacquemont. Like Erin, Cameron received his MA at Alabama and is continuing his education in the PhD program. Cameron is interested in prehistoric architecture. Based on his thesis research, he organized a symposium which has resulted Architectural Variability in the Southeast (2007, UA Press). His doctoral research focuses on the study of prehistoric mounds (and mound-building) at Moundville. Cameron was instrumental in leading the fifth AAS Volunteer "DIG" opportunity in October. He welcomed AAS volunteers to aid in his research to determine if Moundville's prehistoric inhabitants added soil in specific portions of the site other than mounds to modify the landscape. The excavations were undertaken to determine where the original surface of the plaza was and how much soil was added. He believes there are at least four places where Moundvillians added large amounts of soil to level or flatten the other edges of the plaza.

AAS Grants are awarded to AAS members in good standing. The Mahan Research Grant is intended to assist in field, laboratory, museum or library research that will lead to the advancement of scientific knowledge of Alabama's past and create a public appreciation of Alabama archaeology through the public dissemination of results. (Erin will be expected to present a paper based on her research at a future AAS Winter meeting.) The Wimberley Scholarship is intended to lend support to students (undergraduate and graduate) in the field of archaeology. Nominated students must be enrolled full-time in a degree program in the State.

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