The Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) is Springfield’s public, yet university-based archaeological research center. Through grants and private donors, the organization does research and collaborates on local projects and provides hands-on experience for archaeology students at MSU. CAR recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, and CAR Director Kevin Cupka Head said it was a busy year for them.
“There’s not too many university-based applied archaeology centers that are doing the kind of work that we’re doing, at the scale that we’re doing it,” said Cupka Head.
He talked about a recent expedition to the Amazon Rainforest that two of their research archaeologists took in October. Cupka Head said the archaeologists used satellite and drone imaging to detect potential archaeological sites and features. They found that this method allowed them to see past the tree canopy, something he said can’t be accomplished with the naked eye…