Prairie Research Institute

Dr. Dale F. Simpson Jr. is an anthropological archaeologist with more than 20 years of experience and 16 years of teaching experience.  He actively tries to bridge the gap between the humanities and STEAM based education by using archaeological outreach as a bridge.  

Dr. Simpson has conducted anthropological investigations in the U.S., Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Australia, and Easter Island (Rapa Nui). He is the director of the Rapa Nui Geochemical Project and Illinois Simpson Archaeology and is associated with institutions and  such as: the Field Museum of Natural History; Warrenville Historical Society Museum;  Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum; Glen Ellyn Historical Society; Forest Preserve of DuPage County;  Naperville Park District; Illinois State Archaeological Society; and Macktown Historical Village. 

As a researcher, Dr. Simpson has focused on Rapa Nui since 2001, and has extensively presented and published about the island’s anthropology, archaeology, geochemistry, material culture, and monumental architecture. From 2013–2017, Dale was a Centennial Scholar at the University of Queensland, where his Ph.D. concentrated on ancient Rapa Nui economic, ideological, and sociopolitical interaction, as documented by the movement of archaeological basalt from geological sources to domestic and ceremonial sites. 

Dr. Simpson has also appeared as a host on History Channel’s FOUND program and a contributor for Science channel’s What on Earth program. He has filmed on Rapa Nui for ICON Fitness, making educational workout videos for exercise machines, and for RMC Production, making a documentary about ancient Rapa Nui architecture. Most recently, Dr. Simpson was named as an executive board member for the Chicago Archaeological Society and the Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology. He is currently the editor-in-chief for Illinois Antiquity and a Registered Professional Archaeologist.

• 2019 Doctor of Philosophy: University of Queensland – Australia
• 2008 Master’s Degree of Arts (First Class Honours): University of Auckland – New Zealand
• 2007 Postgraduate Diploma of Arts (With Merit and Distinction): University of Auckland – New Zealand
• 2002 Bachelor’s of Arts (Advanced): University of Manitoba – Canada

• College of DuPage: 1000 Introduction to Anthropology; 1100 Cultural Anthropology; 1120 Discovering Archaeology; 1130 People and Cultures of the World: The Pacific
• Malcom X College: 202 Cultural Anthropology 
• North Central College: 165 Stones and Bones; 295 Research Practicum; 332 Forensic Anthropology; 355 Native Nations-North America; 385 Anthropology of Place: Oceania; 470 Solving Environmental Problems; 499 Independent Research Project 
• Northern Illinois University: 413 (undergraduate)/513 (graduate) Illinois Archaeology

• 2023 College of DuPage Professional Development Fund (Worth 190USD) 
• 2022–3 Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology Editor Funding (Worth 1250USD) 
• 2022 Dutch Easter Island Foundation Conference Fund (Worth 1500EURO)
• 2022 College of DuPage Conference Fund (Worth 750USD)
• 2022 North Central College International Conference Fund (Worth 1300USD)
• 2021 Debajo la lupa (Chile’s Fondos de Servicio Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural) (Worth 1000 USD)
• 2021 FONDART (Chile’s Fondos de Cultura – Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes, el Patrimonio) (Worth 3000 USD)
• 2020 FONDART (Chile’s Fondos de Cultura – Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes, el Patrimonio) (Worth 7500 USD)
• 2018–2022 Warrenville Historic Society and Museum City Grants (Worth 5600 USD)
• 2018 Field Museum Publication Funding (Worth 500 USD)
• 2013–2017 University of Queensland Centennial Scholarship  (Worth 90,000 AUD)
• 2013–2017 University of Queensland International Student Research Scholarship (Worth 40,000 AUD)
• 2014  University of Queensland’s School of Social Science Research Bursary (Worth 3500 AUD)
• 2013  University of Queensland School of Social Science Strategic Planning Grant (Worth 2400 AUD)                                                                                                                                        

Books

• Simpson Jr., D.F. and Lobos Haoa, V. (2022). Rapa Nui’s Quarries. Rapa Nui Press. Santiago, Chile. FONDART AWARD 2022
• Huke, M., Simpson Jr., D.F., Vasquez Hulsbus, M. (2021). Atlas arqueológica para niños. Pehuén. Santiago, Chile FONDART AWARD 2021.

Peer–Reviewed Publications

• Simpson Jr., D.F., Watson, G., Dussubieux, L., Milot, J., Stevenson, C. (in prep.). Refined geochemical analysis and artifact life histories highlight opportunistic use of obsidian during Rapa Nui’s pre-contact and contact period. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2022). La economía política de piedras arqueológicas en Rapa Nui: Identificación de las interacciones económicas, ideológicas y sociopolíticas del período pre-contacto en Rapa Nui. Bajo la Lupa: Investigación de colecciones patrimoniales del servicio nacional del patrimonio cultural.
• Simpson Jr., D.F., Van Tilburg, J.A., Dussubieux, L. (2018). Toki (adze) and pick production during peak moai (statue) manufacture: Geochemical and radiometric analyses reveal prehistoric provenance, timing, and use of Easter Island’s fine–grain basalt resources. Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 9(2): 12–34.
• Simpson Jr., D.F., Dussubieux, L. (2018). A collapsed narrative? Geochemistry and spatial distribution of basalt quarries and fine–grained artifacts reveal communal use of stone on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 18: 370–385. 
• Simpson Jr. D.F., Weisler, M.I., St. Pierre, E., Feng, Y. Bolhar, R. (2017). Archaeological documentation and high–precision geochemistry of the Rua Tokitoki adze quarry and Poike’s fine–grain basalt source on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Archaeology in Oceania. 53(1): 15–27. 
• Simpson Jr. D.F. (2016). Minas, canteras y artefactos de basalto: Investigación científica aprobada por la comunidad Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua). Annales del Museo de Historia Natural de Valparaíso 29: 120–131.
• Larsen, A., Simpson Jr. D.F. (2014). A Comment to Rull et al. (2013)—Challenging Easter Island's Collapse: the need for interdisciplinary synergies. Frontiers in Evolution and Ecology 2: 56–57. 
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2014). A review of Rapa Nui’s Geodynamic, Volcanic, and Geologic Evolution. Apuntes de la Biblioteca William Mulloy. Vol. 3, 1–30.
• Simpson Jr., D. (2010). Captain A.W.F. Fuller’s Contribution to The Field Museum’s Easter Island Collection. Rapa Nui Journal. Vol. 24(1): 20–28.
• Simpson Jr., D. (2009). Rapa Nui’s Political Economy and the Visibility of its Monumental Architecture. Rapa Nui Journal. Vol. 23(2): 131–148.

Reports

• Howser, L., Simpson Jr. D.F. (2023). The Preliminary Report for the 2022 Archaeological Excavation of Boat Stone Grove at Macktown (11WO256), in the Winnebago Forest Preserve, Rockton, Illinois. Submitted to the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District and Illinois State Historic Preservation Office.
• Simpson Jr. D.F., Howser, L., Horsley, T. (2023). Phase I Survey of Upper Knoch Knolls Park – Naperville IL. USA. Submitted to the Naperville Park District and Illinois State Historic Preservation Office.
• Simpson Jr., D.F., Štambuk, P.M. (2019). Rapanui in the world and the world on Rapa Nui – A report from two international scientific conferences held on Rapa Nui during November 2018. Rapa Nui Journal 32 (1&2): 107–117. 
• Shepardson et al. (2019). Terevaka Archaeological Outreach (TAO) 2019 Field Report: Creating Digital Access to Cultural Heritage. Rapa Nui Journal 32 (1&2): 118–124. 
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2018). Identificar la Interacción en la Prehistoria de Rapa Nui: Modelización del desarrollo de la complejidad social bajo un aislamiento extremo (003523–14; 003523–14; 003523–14).  Reportaje Número Cinco por el Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile, Isla de Pascua.
• Simpson Jr., D.F.  (2018). Identificar la Interacción en la Prehistoria de Rapa Nui: Modelización del desarrollo de la complejidad social bajo un aislamiento extremo (003523–14; 003523–14; 003523–14).  Reportaje Número Cuarto por el Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile, Isla de Pascua.
• Simpson Jr., D.F.  (2017). Identificar la Interacción en la Prehistoria de Rapa Nui: Modelización del desarrollo de la complejidad social bajo un aislamiento extremo (003523–14; 003523–14; 003523–14).  Reportaje Número Tres por el Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile, Isla de Pascua.
• Simpson Jr., D.F.  (2016). Identificar la Interacción en la Prehistoria de Rapa Nui: Modelización del desarrollo de la complejidad social bajo un aislamiento extremo (003523–14; 003523–14; 003523–14).  Reportaje Número Dos por el Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile, Isla de Pascua.
• Simpson Jr., D.F.  (2015). Identificar la Interacción en la Prehistoria de Rapa Nui: Modelización del desarrollo de la complejidad social bajo un aislamiento extremo (003523–14; 003523–14; 003523–14).  Reportaje Número Uno por el Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile, Isla de Pascua.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2015). 2014–15 Ph.D. fieldwork report. Rapa Nui Journal 29(1): 58–66.
• Shepardson, B, N. Barrera, R. Gulbraa, D. Henríquez, M. Hernández, T. Hey, T. Hucke, L. López, A. Rapu, S. Salinas, D.F. Simpson Jr., M. Terongo, F.Torres, H. Tuki, E. Valdivia, V. Wilkins. (2011). Terevaka.net Archaeological Outreach 2011 field report: Less is more Rapa Nui Journal. 25(2): 55–57. 

General Publications

• Simpson Jr. D.F., and Lobos Haoa, V. (2022). Rapa Nui Quarries: A trilingual coloring book dedicated to the island’s future - its youth. Moe Varua 159: 5–9.
• Petersen, A., Simpson Jr., D.F., Loebel, T., Evans, M., Geraci, P., Jankiewicz (2022). Stone tools and archaeological detective work: Gleaning new clues from an old DuPage County Forest Preserve District Collection. Illinois Antiquity 58(4): 3–6. 
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2022). North Central College celebrates Illinois Archaeology Awareness Month Illinois Antiquity 57(3): 9–12. 
• Petersen, A. Simpson Jr., D.F. (2022). Learning about material culture research by analyzing a lithic collection from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County CODEX 32(8).
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2022). Pacific and Rapa Nui material culture found at The Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, U.S.A.). CODEX 32(7).
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2020). A review of Bellwood (ed.) 2019. The Spice Islands in Prehistory: Archaeology in the Northern Moluccas, Indonesia. 50th edition of Terra Australis, Australian National University Press, Canberra, Australia. Australian Archaeology.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2020). Ancient Power of the Rapanui Elite. Moe Varua 145: 7–10. 
• Simpson Jr., D.F., McKenzie, R., Pakarati, C. (2020).  History of a Moai & Pukao found at the Otago Museum. Moe Varua 144: 6–9. 
• Ross, A. and Simpson Jr., D.F. (2019). Headhunting in Solomon Islands. Moe Varua 142:17–20.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2019). Conducting Responsible and Ethical Archaeological Research on Easter Island: Building Diachronic and Lasting Relationships with the Local Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Community. Journal of the Texas Tech University Ethics Center, 3(1): 20–26.
• Simpson Jr., D.F.  (2015). Un árbol de 50.000 años: La colonización prehistórica del Pacífico. Correo del Moai 40: 12–3.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2015). 3D scanning of Polynesian Adzes and Rapa Nui material culture. Social of Social Science Newsletter 25, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2015). Prehistoric Miners of Easter Island. Moe Varua 87: 1–5.  
• Torres Jeria, P., Simpson Jr., D., S. Hereveri (2015). Manu Iri: Guardianes por el Patrimonio. Correo del Moai 38: 12–3
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2014). Masterclass: Entangled – The relationship between humans and things. Social of Social Science Newsletter 21, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
• Simpson Jr. D.F. (2014). Sourcing Prehistoric Interaction of Rapa Nui (Easter Island): Modeling the Development of Social Complexity in Extreme Isolation. Unpublished Ph.D. Milestone Document University of Queensland, School of Social Sciences. 
• Simpson Jr., D.F., C. Clarkson, E. J. Thomas, T. Manne, R. Fenwick, H. Dixon, E. Nicolosi, T. Walsh, G. Robinson (2013). One–hour archaeology experience and educational outreach at The University of Queensland’s Archaeological Teaching and Research Centre, Social of Social Science Newsletter 18, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
• Simpson Jr., D.F. (2002). The Liminal Period, the Works of Victor Turner. Journal of the Manitoba Anthropology Student Association (MASA) 23: 25–32.