Stiefel’s research interests are in how the sum of local preservation efforts affects regional, national, and multi-national policies within the field of cultural resource management and heritage conservation. He has authored and/or edited numerous articles and books, including Community-Built: Art, Construction, Preservation, and Place (co-edited with Katherine Melcher and Kristin Faurest, 2017); and Sustainable Heritage: Merging Environmental Conservation and Historic Preservation (co-authored with Amalia Leifeste, 2018).