Portland State Magazine Spring 2019

5 PARK BLOCKS EVEN THE simplest artifacts from the past can speak volumes about how people lived—and may even tell us a few things about modern life. Since 2012, Portland State anthropology students, faculty and alumni have teamed up with community partners to put on the Archaeology Roadshow to excite the public about Oregon’s heritage and encourage its preservation. This year’s exhibits and activities will center around the theme of daily life. “Our task is to understand these artifacts, and have them tell stories of what people’s motives were or why they changed through time,” says Virginia Butler, anthropology professor and department chair. The Roadshow takes place on campus June 1 before heading to Bend June 8 and Harney County June 29. Digging the past OAK RIDGE National Laboratory in Tennessee helped usher in the nuclear age when it was founded in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project. It now taps the expertise of more than 100 top research universities to provide solutions to national priorities in science, education, security and health. In March, Portland State was added to the list when the University was formally accepted as a member of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. It’s a big win for PSU, opening the door to new grant possibilities, government contracts and myriad research opportunities, “all of which will enhance the professional growth and development of PSU’s faculty and students,” says Mark McLellan, PSU vice president for research. New member in elite research consortium