Deborah L. Nichols Meeting Access Grants
The Deborah L. Nichols Meeting Access Grant (DNMAG) was established through the generosity of her family to support SAA members who may otherwise be unable to attend the Annual Meeting.
Recipients may receive up to $500 to support participation in the in-person Annual Meeting.
Support future recipients: Donate to the DNMAG
Eligible Expense
Applicants must be current SAA members and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Student (undergraduate or graduate)
- First-generation college student
- International member*
- Indigenous, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or First Nations
- First-time presenter at the SAA Annual Meeting
* International membership is defined according to the SAA Member Categories & Rates.
Key Dates
- Application deadline (1st Round): July 15, 2026 (3 PM ET)
- Applications (1st Round) reviewed after: July 15, 2026
- Notification (1st Round) by: August 15, 2026
- Funds distributed by: February 15, 2027
Award Cycle
The DNMAG is offered twice per year:
- Summer round (current cycle)
- Fall round
Applications not funded in the summer round will automatically be considered in the fall.
Important Policies
- Applicants must maintain SAA membership through 2027.
- Previous recipients may not apply again until the following calendar year.
- Recipients who cannot attend must return awarded funds.
- Failure to return unused funds may affect eligibility for future SAA support.
Students in the Student Diversity Networking Program (SDNP) are encouraged to apply but must submit a separate application. Learn more and apply.
How to Apply
The application for the fall round of the 2026 meeting access grants is now open. The first round deadline is July 15, 2026 at 3PM EST.
Apply Now
Nature of Award (e.g. monetary, medal, symposium)
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Monetary award (up to $500)
- Recipients are not recognized at the SAA Business Meeting or in the awards issue of The SAA Archaeological Record
The Deborah L. Nichols Meeting Access Grants Committee is responsible for promoting meeting access grants, selecting the recipients, monitoring the guidelines, and recommending changes to the guidelines as needed.
Committee Composition
The committee is composed of a chair and at least four members.
Term Length
Term length is three years. Individuals ending their terms cycle off the committee at the close of the Business Meeting held during the annual SAA Meeting, and new appointees begin their terms at this time.
Committee Chair and End of Term
Erik R. Otárola-Castillo [2027]
Committee Chair Contact Information
Committee Members and Ends of Terms
91st Annual Meeting (San Francisco 2026)
Ambily Chelaplackel Sreedharan
Andrew Ramos
Claudia Margarita Servin Rosas
Claudio Wande Lopez
Courtney Clough
Esteban Moises Herrera Parra
Gabriel Santos de Oliveira
Hector Barrera Yaranga
Jordan Griffin
Lua Salomon Velasco
Norma Johnson
Phillip Mendenhall
Shimiko Montgomery
Stormy Fields
Tomás Paya
Verenis Amezcua
Weiting Yu
Willow Curran-Morton
Christophor E. Oliveira (Dawson Ohana MAG)