Toronto, ON — August 4, 2025 — In a field long dominated by extractive methods and institutional control, Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, is forging a new path. Through her groundbreaking work in community-based research, Dr. Montgomery is leading a global movement to decolonize archaeology and cultural heritage practices. Her vision centers descendant communities, Indigenous self-determination, and shared authority in both fieldwork and academic spaces.
Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery’s scholarship and public advocacy challenge the legacy of colonialism embedded in archaeological research. With a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Stanford University and years of collaborative work with Tribal Nations across North America, she is building new frameworks rooted in trust, reciprocity, and respect. “Archaeology must transform from a discipline of extraction into one of co-creation” she states. “It should be accountable to the communities whose histories it seeks to explore.”
Centering Indigenous Voices in Archaeological Research
At the heart of Dr. Montgomery’s work is a commitment to centering Indigenous knowledge systems and priorities in archaeological research. Her long-term partnerships in the U.S. Southwest as well as collaborations with Indigenous communities in the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest exemplify how archaeological research can generate both academic and community benefit. She co-designs field projects with tribal leaders, ensuring the research questions, methods, and interpretations are led by community interests.
Her work with the Picuris Pueblo in New Mexico illustrates this model. Rather than imposing an academic agenda onto the community, the Picuris Pueblo Archaeological Research Project begins with community-defined questions. The project incorporates traditional knowledge, honors cultural protocols, and supports sovereignty through tribally controlled data archiving and use agreements. It is a living example of Dr. Montgomery’s belief that “ethical archaeology is built on relationships, not just results.”
Ethical Frameworks and Data Sovereignty
One of Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery’s most influential contribution to the field is her advocacy for Indigenous data sovereignty—the right of Indigenous Peoples to control the collection, ownership, and use of cultural data. Until relatively recently, archaeological findings were stored in distant institutions with limited access for culturally affiliated communities . Dr. Montgomery pushes for research models where Indigenous communities retain full rights over how their cultural materials are stored, interpreted, and disseminated.
In alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), she encourages institutions to adopt data governance policies that are transparent, community-led, and grounded in informed consent. “Communities should not only participate in archaeological research,” she insists, “they should guide it and retain authority over its outcomes.”
Transforming Academic Practice
At the University of Toronto, Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery has reimagined teaching by embedding Indigenous perspectives throughout the curriculum. Courses such as “Indigenous Archaeologies” and “Fight the Power: A Global History of Resistance & Revolution” immerse students in critical, anti-colonial, and anti-racist research practices. These courses center BIPOC authors and offer hands-on engagement with museum collections and cultural archives. She invites knowledge holders into the classroom and incorporates Indigenous worldviews, methods, and theory into her syllabi.
Publishing and Public Scholarship
Dr. Montgomery’s influence extends far beyond the university campus. Her academic publications include peer-reviewed articles on decolonial archaeology, Indigenous resistance, and ethical cultural resource management. Most recently, she co-authored a forthcoming article in American Antiquity on the archaeology of reclamation, building on a 2023 public-facing essay in SAPIENS magazine. Together, these works outline pathways for transforming archaeological practice into one grounded in shared authority and community benefit.
She is a sought-after speaker at international conferences, where she delivers keynotes and panels on critical heritage theory, Indigenous-engaged methodologies, and anti-colonial research frameworks. Her writing is widely cited in policy documents, graduate programs, and ethical review boards seeking to update their standards.
Culturally Humble and Trauma-Informed Approaches
Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery also leads the way in developing trauma-informed protocols for archaeological research involving sites linked to residential schools, forced displacement, and state violence. Alongside mental health professionals, she has created tools that blend archaeology with culturally humble, survivor-informed care.
These protocols guide institutions in managing sensitive data in ways that prioritize the emotional needs of Indigenous communities. They call for early community involvement, survivor-led decision-making, and cultural safety training for researchers. Museums and heritage sites across Canada are now using these frameworks to guide exhibit design, repatriation efforts, and community engagement.
Global Partnerships and Cross-Cultural Learning
Dr. Montgomery’s work resonates globally. She collaborates with scholars in Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, and Latin America, where Indigenous archaeologists lead efforts to reclaim cultural heritage. Her international consultation work spans ethical review policy, community engagement strategy, and institutional restructuring.
She is currently involved in designing digital archiving platforms and collaborative research programs that address the digital divide among Black and Indigenous communities. Her goal is to ensure that local communities are not just stakeholders—but leaders—in global conversations about data management and social justice.
Institutional Change and Strategic Consulting
As a strategic consultant, Dr. Montgomery advises museums, universities, and public agencies on how to implement ethical, anti-racist, and decolonial practices. She helps institutions develop Memoranda of Understanding, Indigenous advisory boards, and community review processes. She also builds data-sharing agreements that return decision-making power to communities.
Organizations that adopt her frameworks often see increased trust, better community relationships, and more meaningful scholarship. “This isn’t just about ethics,” she explains. “It’s about doing better science by doing more responsible science. When communities lead, the knowledge is more relevant and more enpowering.”
Recognition, Grants, and Mentorship
Dr. Montgomery’s work is supported by competitive grants from the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the National Science Foundation. These grants fund initiatives that challenge the status quo and model new ways forward for cultural heritage management.
She also devotes significant energy to mentoring emerging scholars—particularly BIPOC students—who often navigate additional barriers in academia. Her mentorship combines practical support with opportunities for research, leadership, and community-engaged learning. This work is guided by relationship-building, critical self-reflection, and care. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in her program are taught to work in culturally safe and politically accountable ways. Many go on to lead research projects that prioritize community governance and social justice over disciplinary prestige.Her mentorship combines
Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future of Archaeology
Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery envisions a future in which archaeology is accountable, inclusive, and community-led. She calls on institutions to move beyond symbolic commitments and take tangible steps: rethinking tenure criteria, embedding BIPOC voices in governance structures, tying research funding to community benefit, and restructuring departments to support decolonial teaching.
“Ethical archaeology requires more than good intentions,” she says. “It requires structural change—rooted in cultural humility, anti-racism, and relationship building. We must redefine success in terms of reciprocal outputs rather than resume lines.”
As more institutions adopt her models, and more students carry her lessons forward, Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery’s vision of ethical, relational archaeology is becoming reality—one project, one partnership, and one protocol at a time.
About Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery
Dr. Lindsay Martel Montgomery is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and is internationally recognized for her leadership in ethical archaeology, Indigenous heritage collaboration, trauma-informed research, and community-based scholarship. Her work bridges academic, institutional, and grassroots spaces, transforming how archaeology is practiced, taught, and understood worldwide.
