Elizabeth McCreary, an MA candidate in the IUP Applied Archaeology program, is the 2024 recipient of the Paul Goldberg Award, presented by the Society for American Archaeology. Her thesis, "Geophysical Survey of the Friendly Fire Incident, French and Indian War, Pennsylvania," was selected by the Geoarchaeology Awards Committee on behalf of the entire Society.
Photo: Liz Mcreary receiving Goldberg Award from SAA President Dan Sandweiss
McCreary's interdisciplinary research combines geophysical, archaeological, and geospatial methods to examine the buried landscapes and archaeological features at the French and Indian War site of Fort Ligonier in Pennsylvania. Specifically, her work is helping to identify the location of a Friendly Fire Incident involving two Virginian regiments, including one under the direction of a young George Washington. Washington notes in his military journal that these men were to be buried the morning following the incident, but it was not documented where they were buried. McCreary's work to help determine the location of these burials will allow for the proper demarcation of this hallowed ground.
The Society for American Archaeology is an international organization and the largest archaeology organization in North America. This prestigious, national honor is awarded to one MA student per year pursuing geoarchaeology as a career. Previous winners from IUP's Applied Archaeology program include Rachael Smith in 2021 and Zaakiyah Cua in 2018.