Proctorships are the most versatile part of the funding package and are broadly designed to provide graduate students with some form of professional, in many cases ‘hands-on’ experience. Possibilities range from event planning and organization to museum work to podcasting, offering students an opportunity to work closely with faculty and facilities in ways that are mutually beneficial to the individual’s professional development and the archaeological community at Brown. Proctorships can include a range of responsibilities, such as working with Institute collections, in the library, with computer facilities, or organizing seminar series and other events.

Typically, students meet with the Institute’s Director and Director of Graduate Studies in the semester before holding a proctorship in order to formulate a plan of activity.  Because there are certain duties that have to be done each semester, such as the organization of our Brown Bag series of lunch talks, the organization and management of the in-house library, or acting as a graduate representative to the faculty, it is not uncommon for students to split their time between such tasks and another project more specific to their personal interests.