As the first City Archeologist for New York City (1980-1990), I learned the importance of linking research and outreach, and developed an understanding of law, government and the role we can play in changing public policy. I am academic archaeologist who is also concerned about civic engagment. Because of this background I am committed to incorporating service-learning into my teaching. I have been a leader in American urban archaeology and since coming to Cornell I had also raised the professional awareness of farmstead archaeology. I have helped raise the profile of American landscape archaeology within the Landscape Architecture profession. I work with planners, preservationists, and Native Americans to excavate and preserve endangered American Indian, colonial, and 19th-century archaeological sites.