The ASNJ would like to take the opportunity to highlight Kiersten Fuchs, who kindly sent ASNJ a personal description about her current involvement in New Jersey's archaeological community. Please forward your own submission to ASNJ's webmaster, ASNJ wants to hear from you!
ASNJ readers,
Hello, my name is Kiersten Fuchs.
I currently hold a BA in History from Fairleigh Dickinson University and will be completing my MA in Anthropology from Monmouth University in May. For my thesis research I am looking at how the inhabitants of the Barnegat Bay (New Jersey) region, starting with the Lenape Indians, have provided the area with heritage, culture, and a unique sense of identity. I chose this topic because I have lived with the Barnegat Bay as my backyard my entire life and often wondered how my identity was influenced by the area. My goal for this thesis is to look at the variety of people, places, and events and how they all tie into one another in giving the Jersey Shore, specifically the Barnegat Bay region, its identity, heritage, and culture. Visitors and even many locals are unaware of what has happened in the past right in their area(s) and I hope to shed light on the importance of history, anthropology, and archaeology within the region.
Although I am focusing my thesis on a more anthropological basis, my heart lies with archaeology. Historical archaeology has been passion. I have worked with Dr. Veit on the Cedar Bridge Tavern dig in the Pine Barrens and Parker Farms in Little Silver, NJ. I have also worked on a dig in Maryland under the direction of John Dysart.
I hope this information helps you and if there is anything more that I can provide, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Kiersten Fuchs