1984 to 1991 of 2000 year old shell middens buried under a 19th-century historic military site on San Juan Island. When Stein noticed that the San Juan Island excavation drew hundreds of curious visitors, she "thought it was a shame they could not be included." When asked to lead an excavation on a shell midden on Vashon Island in 1996, " Stein agreed on the condition that the public be allowed to help. "Working with amateurs was one of the most difficult things I've ever done", she said, "but also one of the most successful" In a four-hour session, volunteers would dig a small bucketful of the shell midden, screen it, separate shell and bone fragments from sand, and participate in a whole range of archaeological activities. In the process, they'd ask questions about why they were doing this and what could be learned from it. "That's where the real education took place." according to Stein. " It was wonderful to realize that if you get people to do archaeology, they appreciate and learn so much more about it." Stein has led or collaborated on various research projects including: The Monticello Landscape Study in Virginia, the Fort Clatsop Geoarchaeological Project in Oregon, Kohala Hills Research in Hawaii and the Prairie Project in Washington. Selected publications Awards 2015 – Western Museums Association's Director's Chair Award. 2005 – Distinguished Teaching Award University of Washington 2001 – Western Michigan University Distinguished Alumni Award. 1999 – Rip Rapp Archaeological Geology Award (Geological Society of America, Archaeological Geology Division). References American women archaeologists University of Minnesota alumni Western Michigan University alumni Year of birth missing (living people) Living people University of Washington faculty American women academics 21st-century American women