Residential Scholar Program

The School of Anthropology Residential Scholar Program is located at its National Register-eligible adobe home, adjacent to the University Indian Ruin (UIR). 

The UIR is a Classic period Hohokam archaeological site, dating to A.D. 1100-1400, which includes a platform mound and adobe compounds – one of the last platform mound communities still extant in the Tucson Basin. Located on 13 acres of Sonoran desert in central Tucson, 10 miles from campus, the complex is owned and maintained by the University of Arizona.

Site History

In 1930, Mrs. Dorothy Knipe donated the initial six acres of the property to the University of Arizona.  Designed to protect the village’s scientific value, archaeological work on the site began that year under the direction of Byron Cummings, founder of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona (then the Department of Archaeology).  While the Department provided protection for resources on the property, it developed a field research station where it conducted archaeological analysis.  With assistance from the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, within a few years another seven acres were added to the property.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began construction on the compound in 1933 and in 1936 it completed a complex consisting of a caretaker’s house, laboratory, and a garage—the latter was converted to a guesthouse.  In 1940, The National Park Service excavated the site, which resulted in Julian Hayden’s 1957 publication on the site.  Emil Haury also excavated at the site, with students coming daily to work in the field and lab. 

One stipulation of the gift is that the site be used to serve the University’s educational goals.  Currently, in the spring, two days a week, our archaeological field school conducts excavations at the site and uses a laboratory building on the grounds.  To better protect the site and to serve these goals, 2009 to 2010, at a cost of a half million dollars, The School completed renovation of the 20th-century residence, laboratory, and guesthouse.

The Residential Scholar Program

The School of Anthropology invites scholars from all anthropological subdisciplines to apply to the Residential Scholar Program which offers the scholar residence in the School’s beautifully restored adobe home, consisting of a living room (with a working corner fireplace), kitchen, bedroom, bath and an enclosed porch that is ideal for a home office. The scholar will have access to Wifi (noting the University's acceptable use policy) throughout the complex and, except for long distance calls, the School will pay utilities.

Please be aware that although UIR is located within the Indian Ridge neighborhood, the house is on a large plot of land and can feel isolated from neighbors. The scholar will encounter desert wildlife and must be comfortable living on a property that has rural characteristics. The site has a caretaker that lives in a guest house on the property, and there are some shared responsibilities for site maintenance of the University Indian Ruins.

During residency, the scholar will be expected to contribute to the teaching mission in the School of Anthropology through a lecture, workshop, or other form of scholarly interaction on University main campus and to give a public lecture at the University Indian Ruin site.

How to Apply

Scholars must hold a Ph.D. and offer a scholarly contribution to the school's community. Proposed residencies are by semesters, in fall, spring, summer, or a combination of two or all three. The summer semester starts in May/June, fall semester starts in August/September, and spring semester starts in January. If you are interested in any portion then you should submit your application by March 15, 2024 as most considerations will be made at that time. After selections are made, should there be any vacancies, an additional call will be made.