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Photo by Sam Harrel

While most 17-year-olds are preoccupied with video games and SAT scores, Tim Williams is helping correct history.

The Lathrop High School junior traveled with University of Alaska Museum of the North archeology curator Dan Odess and a Russian-American research team to a site near the Russian whaling village of Ninligran on the Chukotka Peninsula, the part of Russia closest to Alaska. The team spent three weeks last August at the site and found evidence suggesting some prehistoric cultures were hunting whales 1,000 years earlier than previously known. At the site was a “house pit,” a dwelling built into a mound of earth and then covered with dirt for insulation. While at the site, the team also found an ivory carving from approximately the same time period.

“The house pit is carbon-dated at 3,000 years,” Williams said.

After choosing archeology during a seventh-grade presentation on future professions, Williams started volunteering at the museum.

“I started volunteering, and it became on a daily basis and I eventually got to go on a couple of digs, even,” Williams said.

Odess has known Williams for seven years, since working with Williams’ father, Kevin May, the museum’s operations manager.

“He’s studious and very focused on what he is doing,” Odess said of Williams. “And he’s incredibly nice.”

In Russia, Odess said Williams wasn’t bogged down with running errands and menial tasks — he was at the site, digging and uncovering evidence. Although Williams was young, Odess added, he was also responsible, making Williams a valuable part of the team.

“He’s a hard worker,” Odess said. “I don’t think I head him complain once the whole time.”

Williams’ participation in one of Odess’ field school sessions taught him how to correctly collect samples and prepared him for the Russia expedition. Williams said the most important thing he learned was to take careful notes and to work slowly for thorough results.

His father said he was proud but not surprised his son was included on an overseas field expedition, because his son has accompanied him into the field since he was two.

“He grew up in the field,” May said.

At the museum, Williams said he spent a lot of time cataloging and labeling artifacts for the archeology department. When it comes to specific areas of archeology, Williams said he is most interested in art and “lithics,” tools and blades.

“You can look at something, and it can be a hundred years old or a couple thousands of years old,” Williams said.

In his free time, Williams participates on Lathrop’s Academic Decathlon team. He also enjoys hanging out with his friends and has recently taken up poetry writing after being inspired by the works of Robert Frost.

Williams doesn’t get to go to the museum on a daily basis because of his job as a cultural resource aide with the National Parks Service, but he is doing similar work. This summer, he will accompany his boss, Jeff Rasic, on an expedition into the field. Williams is also looking forward to visiting France for a school trip. Although he’s been to Russia and all over Alaska, Williams said this will be his first visit to Europe.

Williams said he isn’t sure where he would like to go to college, but he plans to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks before transferring to another university. Although he isn’t sure where he will end up, Williams said he would like to continue his studies in archeology.