The Center for Archaeological and Interdisciplinary Research and Education (CAIRE) was established within the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) to accelerate cutting-edge, multidisciplinary archaeological field and related research in the Western United States and around the world.

For nearly a century, MNCH archaeologists have actively worked on scientific research related to the deep human history of Oregon, the Americas, and beyond. Founded in the 1930s by Luther Cressman, a pioneer in the scientific study of the First Americans, MNCH scholars have excelled at interdisciplinary archaeological research under subsequent museum directors Don Dumond, Melvin Aikens, and Jon Erlandson, building collaborative relationships with scientists across the UO campus and institutions worldwide.

CAIRE leverages such experience and connections to support innovative research and education by UO students, faculty, and staff. CAIRE contributes significantly to current (2021-2026) research priorities defined by the UO President and Provost, particularly environmental research related to climate change, human resilience, and sustainability. In the process, CAIRE strengthens strategic research connections with UO departments such as Anthropology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, History, and others.

CAIRE is primarily focused on the following topics:

• Peopling of the Americas
• Archaeology as Historical Ecology: Linking Past, Present, & Future
• Archaeology and Hidden Histories
• Research Collections and Public Education