The Office of Student Research is proud to feature Griffyn Caires in this week’s “Scholar Story”.

Griffyn Caires is a junior at Longwood University. He has a double major in Anthropology and Archaeology and in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Griffyn is working to find the average age of a sample of colonial-era tobacco pipes from a site in Eyreville, Virginia.” He became involved in this project because “it was a rare opportunity for an undergraduate student, and I felt I would have the necessary skills to contribute, along with being able to learn skills hands-on with archaeological research. I gained invaluable experience in participating in this project and feel like I have a head start on any potential graduate opportunities when it comes to archaeology.”

Griffyn says that “getting to work with professional archaeologists and learning their ways was my favorite substantial part of the project.” The most important skill he learned while working on this project was “how important drafting is. Don't be afraid to turn in a bad draft or a draft that's just plain wrong. Feedback is key to almost any project.”

Griffyn presented his research as part of a panel at the Mid-Atlantic Archaeological Conference in late March 2021.

Congratulations to Griffyn on his successful research!

If you would like to have your research featured in a “Scholar Story”, or if you would like to learn more about getting involved in research at Longwood University, please visit Longwood’s Office of Student Research website http://www.longwood.edu/office-of-student-research/

or contact Amorette Barber, Director of the Office of Student Research (osr@longwood.edu or barberar@longwood.edu).