Professor Jonathan Adams holds a Chair in Archaeology at the University of Southampton's Department of Archaeology. He leads the Centre for Maritime Archaeology (CMA), established in 1997, and teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His career spans over 30 years, including pivotal roles in the Mary Rose excavation and foundational work in deepwater maritime archaeology. Adams specializes in the Black Sea region, focusing on environmental change impacts on prehistoric populations, maritime connectivity, and naval technology's role in state-building. Affiliations: Centre for Maritime Archaeology, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute Key Projects: Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (since 2015), Ships of State (with Södertörn University) Education: BA in Archaeology & Ancient History (Durham University), DPhil in Maritime Archaeology (Stockholm University). His research integrates ship science, oceanography, and historical analysis. He currently supervises seven PhD students and has mentored over 500 graduates through the MA/MSc in Maritime Archaeology program launched in 1995. Research Interests: Chronology of environmental change in the Black Sea Maritime connectivity across historical periods Role of naval architecture in early modern state development
Thomas F. Strasser is Professor of Art History at Providence College, specializing in Greek archaeology with expertise in Minoan Crete. He earned his PhD in Classical Archaeology from Indiana University and has conducted fieldwork in Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey for over two decades. Strasser's research reinterprets Bronze Age frescoes and investigates early Mediterranean seafaring through his Plakias Stone Age Project. His courses explore the art and archaeology of ancient Iraq, Egypt, and classical civilizations. Strasser received the 2021 Outstanding Faculty Scholar Award and leads student excavations on Crete. Recent publications examine Paleolithic tool assemblages challenging conventional timelines of Mediterranean colonization and geological elements in Theran wall paintings. His fieldwork continues to uncover evidence of Mesolithic habitation in southern Crete.
Dr. James Blinkhorn serves as Fieldwork Director of the aWARE Project within the Pan African Evolution Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. His research spans across West Africa and South Asia, with fieldwork conducted in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, India, and Sri Lanka, focusing on Stone Age sites in diverse ecological settings from rainforests to deserts. Dr. Blinkhorn's research interests center on Palaeolithic archaeology, human evolution, and environmental influences on hominin dispersals. His work examines how early humans adapted to varied landscapes, from the tropical rainforests of Sri Lanka to the arid environments of the Thar Desert. He has made significant contributions to understanding microlith technology, hafting origins, and the relationship between environmental change and cultural innovation during the Late Pleistocene. His publication record reveals a strong focus on comparative studies of Stone Age technologies across Africa and South Asia. A notable trend in his recent work involves examining how environmental variability shaped human technological adaptations across different ecological zones, particularly investigating the relationship between monsoon dynamics and hominin occupation patterns. His research frequently employs interdisciplinary approaches, combining lithic analysis with paleoenvironmental reconstruction to understand human behavioral plasticity. Dr. Blinkhorn actively collaborates with researchers across multiple institutions, including Griffith University, University College London, and The Australian National University. His field-based research spans multiple continents, with particular emphasis on West Africa's role in human evolutionary history and South Asia's importance as a corridor for human dispersals. As Fieldwork Director of the aWARE Project, he leads a substantial research program examining Stone Age sites across four West African countries. His work has contributed to identifying the oldest Middle Stone Age occupation of coastal West Africa and documenting technological continuity in West African archaeological records that challenges simple models of human evolution.
Wiebke Kirleis is Professor for Environmental Archaeology and Archaeobotany at the Institute for Pre- and Protohistory, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU). She has held this position since May 2014 and was previously a junior professor at the same university from 2008 to 2014. She is actively involved in major interdisciplinary research projects, including the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS and the Collaborative Research Centre 1266 'Scales of Transformation', where she serves as co-speaker and technical platform speaker. PhD in Natural Sciences, University of Göttingen (2002) Diploma in Biology, University of Göttingen (1998) Studies in Botany, Anthropology, and Environmental History, University of Göttingen (1990–1998) Wiebke Kirleis' research centers on the interaction between humans and plants during the late Pleistocene and Holocene, with a focus on plant economy, domestication, agricultural development, and landscape transformation. Her work explores how wild and cultivated plants were used for nutrition, ritual, and technical purposes, and how agricultural innovations such as ploughing and manuring impacted Central European landscapes. She has a strong geographical focus on Northern and Central Germany, Southeastern Europe, the Near and Middle East, and Southeast and East Asia, particularly Indonesia. Her methodological expertise includes archaeobotany (analysis of charred and waterlogged plant remains), palynology (pollen and spore analysis from sediment cores), and anthracology (study of charcoal remains). Her recent research includes studies on broomcorn millet diffusion, early farming in Scandinavia and Russia, and plant use in Bronze Age settlements across Europe and Turkey. She leads and collaborates on numerous interdisciplinary projects, emphasizing the integration of botanical data into broader archaeological narratives. Her publications reflect a consistent trend in environmental archaeology, focusing on plant domestication, agricultural transitions, and human-induced landscape change. Keywords across her recent work include archaeobotany, palynology, Neolithic and Bronze Age subsistence, and environmental reconstruction. Her research spans subfields such as food security, cultural transmission of plant use, early monumentality, and socio-economic aspects of prehistoric agriculture. Board member, Cluster of Excellence ROOTS Co-speaker, CRC 1266 'Scales of Transformation' Speaker, ROOTS Technical Platform Board member, Johanna-Mestorf-Akademie Chair, Scientific Advisory Board, Dithmarschen Stone Age Park (since 2023) Full member, German Archaeological Institute (DAI) Elected member, Commission for Archaeology of Non-European Cultures (KAAK) Wiebke Kirleis has supervised numerous research projects funded by the DFG and other agencies, including the Graduate School 'Human Development in Landscapes'. She has advised students and collaborated internationally with institutions in Italy, Norway, Indonesia, and Australia. Her leadership roles in academic self-administration include serving on planning, budget, and equality committees at CAU Kiel. She is committed to science communication, having launched the digital exhibition 'Alles bleibt anders' and produced educational films on archaeobotany. She is also involved in mentoring female postdocs through the via:mento program. She leads the archaeobotanical component in the 'Superfood' module of the SFB 1266 digital exhibition and is actively involved in the ROOTS Cluster’s Subcluster 'Dietary ROOTS'. Her lab and research team operate within the Institute for Pre- and Protohistory, contributing to the university’s strong focus on interdisciplinary landscape archaeology.
Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyNorway
Birgitte Skar is an Associate Professor and Collection Manager for the Stone Age and Bronze Age at the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU Science Museum. Her research focuses on Mesolithic and Neolithic adaptations, biomolecular studies, submerged landscapes, and cultural heritage protection. She leads the SCAPES project (2025-2028), funded by RCN FRIPRO, exploring social complexity through biomolecular data. Her work integrates archaeology with genetics and isotopic analysis, addressing topics such as migration patterns, dietary practices, and social stratification in prehistoric societies. Key contributions include studies on Scandinavian Neolithic pathogens, Viking Age genetic diversity, and Mesolithic mobility in Fennoscandia. She advises numerous master’s students and collaborates with institutions like the University of Bergen and the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Publications span high-impact journals like Nature and Cell , alongside museum exhibitions and policy-oriented reports on heritage management. Her research often bridges natural sciences and humanities, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding human-environment interactions.
Professor Mattias Jakobsson is a faculty member at Uppsala University's Department of Organismal Biology (Human Evolution), holding a PhD and Docent title. His research focuses on population genetics, human evolution, and genomic analysis of modern and ancient human populations. Jakobsson leads a lab using computational methods to study genomic variation, migration patterns, and adaptation in Stone Age Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa. Key projects include investigations into hunter-gatherer populations, plague infections in Neolithic farmers, and genetic continuity in Scandinavia. Education: PhD (exact field unspecified), Docent Lab: Jakobsson Lab (website: jakobssonlab.iob.uu.se ) Research interests emphasize applying genomic data to understand human migration, admixture, and adaptation. Recent work highlights studies on HLA diversity in Thai hunter-gatherers, ancient European genetic shifts, and plague dynamics in Neolithic communities. Collaborations span global archaeological and genomic projects.
Peter Ramsden serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology at McMaster University, specializing in North American archaeology with emphasis on Iroquoian and Huron-Wendat cultures of Ontario. His academic career spans five decades from 1967 to 2016, reflecting sustained engagement with Indigenous history and material culture analysis. His research interests focus on Iroquoian identity negotiation , ceramic analysis , and Ontario prehistory , particularly examining how St. Lawrence Iroquoians integrated into Huron-Wendat communities and the cultural transformations during European contact periods. Key methodologies include stylistic analysis of artifacts and settlement pattern studies across Ontario's Kawartha Lakes region and Arctic sites. Ramsden's publication trends reveal consistent contributions to Canadian Journal of Archaeology and Ontario Archaeology , with recent works analyzing identity politics in Huron villages (2009) and Iroquoian stylistic resistance (2016). His scholarship bridges archaeological evidence with anthropological theory to reconstruct precontact social dynamics. Ramsden maintains active scholarly engagement through book reviews and theoretical commentaries, though no formal awards or fellowships are documented in available records. His academic mentorship shows no publicly listed students, while grant activity appears limited based on McMaster's VIVO database records. Current research directions likely extend his longstanding focus on Huron-Wendat cultural continuity and ceramic typology refinement.
Dr. Agnieszka Gruszczyńska is a researcher specializing in paleoenvironmental studies at an academic institution in Poland, working within the Department of Dynamics of Past Landscapes. She completed her PhD in 2023 after conducting extensive research on the paleogeographic development of the Great Sertei Lake Basin in the Vitebsk Lake District, using paleoecological analyses as her primary methodology. Education: 2016-2023: PhD studies on Paleogeographic development of the Great Sertei Lake Basin in the Vitebsk Lake District in the light of paleoecological studies 2014-2016: Master's degree in Environmental Protection, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, specialization in ecology and water protection 2012-2014: Master's degree in Pedagogy with physical and health education, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz Dr. Gruszczyńska's research centers on ecosystem responses to violent and extreme events throughout geological history, with particular expertise in Chironomidae ecology where she investigates non-temperature factors influencing population dynamics and community quality. Her work spans paleoecological analysis of aquatic invertebrate remains and examines climate change patterns throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. She frequently employs multi-proxy approaches to reconstruct past environmental conditions, with fieldwork concentrated in Eastern Europe, particularly Western Russia's Serteya region and various Polish lake districts. Her extensive publication record demonstrates a methodological focus on paleolimnology and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using lake sediments, peat bogs, and other natural archives. Recent work shows increasing emphasis on human-environment interactions throughout history, particularly regarding historical land use practices like charcoal production and their long-term ecological impacts. Her collaborative research bridges Quaternary science, archaeology, and modern environmental concerns, often examining how past environmental changes can inform contemporary ecological challenges. Dr. Gruszczyńska actively participates in international research collaborations, particularly with institutions in Russia and other European countries, contributing to our understanding of long-term environmental changes and human adaptation to these changes across the East European Plain.
Christopher Miller is a Professor of Geoarchaeology at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (since 2016) and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Institute for Archaeological Sciences (since 2013). He previously served as Junior Professor of Geoarchaeology (2010-2016) and Acting Head of the Archaeometry Division (2013-2015). His research focuses on site formation processes, archaeological micromorphology, and the role of fire in human evolution, with a particular emphasis on Paleolithic cave sites. Education: PhD (2010): Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Dissertation on Paleolithic cave sites' formation processes and settlement dynamics MSc (2004-2006): University of Maine, Thesis on geoarchaeological settings in the eastern US BA (2000-2004): Boston University, Dual degree in Archaeology and Earth Science Research interests include: Micromorphological analysis of archaeological sediments Geochemical tracing of Paleolithic sites Reconstruction of prehistoric human-environment interactions Development of novel microanalytical techniques for archaeological contexts His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to site formation processes, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and the application of clumped isotope thermometry in archaeological contexts. He has conducted fieldwork in South Africa, Italy, Germany, and the Levant, focusing on cave systems and open-air sites. As an academic leader, he oversees the Geoarchaeology research group and collaborates with international teams on projects such as the Neolithic Movila lui Deciov settlement and the Swabian Jura Paleolithic sites. His work bridges geochemistry, archaeology, and environmental science to unravel the complexities of human adaptation in prehistoric environments.
Federico Sánchez Quinto is a Visiting Researcher at Uppsala University's Department of Organismal Biology, specializing in ancient DNA analysis and population genomics. His work bridges evolutionary biology, archaeology, and anthropology to investigate human prehistory through genomic evidence. His research focuses on Population Genetics, Human Evolution, and Archaeogenetics, with specific expertise in Neolithic Scandinavian populations, Denisovan ancestry in Southeast Asia, and prehistoric migration patterns. He examines how genetic adaptations, pathogen evolution, and social structures shaped ancient societies, integrating genomic data with archaeological context to reconstruct human history. Recent publications reveal trends in analyzing ancient pathogen genomes, kinship systems in megalithic tombs, and high-impact discoveries like the Philippine Ayta's exceptional Denisovan ancestry. His methodological contributions to ancient DNA imputation enhance analytical precision in population genomics, while cross-disciplinary studies on Philippine migrations and Scandinavian adaptations demonstrate his field's expanding scope. Based at Uppsala University's Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), he collaborates within multidisciplinary teams combining genomics, archaeology, and anthropology. His research leverages institutional resources at Norbyvägen 18 C to advance understanding of human evolution through cutting-edge ancient DNA methodologies.
Dr. Shumon T. Hussain is a junior research group leader at the University of Cologne, Germany, affiliated with the Institute for Prehistoric Archaeology and MESH (Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities). His work bridges humanities and sciences to explore deep human history and non-human entanglements. He pioneers multispecies archaeology and paleoenvironmental humanities, focusing on animal prehistory, human-nonhuman systems, and ecological coevolution. Research interests include the intersection of 'animal' and 'technology' concepts in Western traditions, with a focus on Pleistocene and Holocene ecosystems. Key publications address scavenger guild dynamics, human-beaver cohabitation, and lithic technology variability. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary methods and contemporary relevance of deep-time studies.
Don Butler is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Scarborough. His research focuses on geoarchaeological approaches to understanding human-environment interactions, socio-ecological resilience, and micro-sedimentary archives. Campus: Scarborough (UTSC) Fields of Study: Archaeology, Arctic North America Research interests include: Geochemical, mineralogical, and biomolecular proxies for local environments Eastern Beringian habitat reconfiguration Community-centered histories of forager diversity Sustainable archaeology of Ontario First Nations fisheries Networks of agriculture and transnational exchange along the Negev's Incense Road Teaching interests encompass: Archaeological theories and methods Geoarchaeological human-environment dialogues Arctic archaeology Archaeological science Heritage resources management His recent publications analyze diverse topics including obsidian source classification in southeast Alaska, Byzantine-era resource management in the Negev, Taltheilei land-use strategies, and northern salmonid fisheries using mineral proxies. Collaborative projects span Inuit mariners, Athabaskan caribou hunters, Mesolithic fishers of Lapland, and Byzantine farmers in Negev borderlands.
Dr. Viola C. Schmid is a postdoctoral researcher in the Quaternary Archaeology research group at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAI) in Vienna, with additional teaching roles at the University of Tübingen and University of Vienna. She earned her master's degree in 2013 and completed a binational PhD magna cum laude in 2019 through a joint program between the Universities of Tübingen and Paris Nanterre. Her career includes research positions at the University of Geneva (2019), ÖAI (2020-2021), and Leiden University (2021-2022), before returning to ÖAI in October 2022. Her research explores prehistoric archaeology across Africa and Europe, focusing on human evolution during the Pleistocene. Key interests include: Population dynamics and knowledge transfer in hunter-gatherer societies Technological systems development in Paleolithic and Mesolithic contexts Middle and Later Stone Age site excavations Reanalysis of archaeological collections using modern methods Schmid's publications primarily investigate lithic technology evolution, site formation processes, and Middle Stone Age adaptations in Africa and Europe. Her work frequently employs experimental approaches and interdisciplinary methods to analyze raw material sourcing, tool production techniques, and cultural transitions. Research sites span South Africa (Umhlatuzana, Diepkloof), Senegal (Toumboura III), Austria (Csaterberg), and Germany (Swabian Jura caves). While no scientific awards are documented, she actively contributes to international projects like the South African Middle Stone Age research during MIS 5 and the Peuplement humain et paléoenvironnement en Afrique program. Her grants and students are not specified in available materials. At ÖAI, she collaborates within the Quaternary Archaeology research group, focusing on Pleistocene human-environment interactions. She maintains academic networks through co-authorships with researchers across Europe and Africa, particularly in lithic technology and Paleolithic site analysis.
Annett Junginger is a researcher at the University of Tübingen's Department of Geosciences, leading the Micropaleontology research group and contributing to the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment (HEP Tübingen). With a career spanning over two decades, she specializes in paleoclimatology, micropaleontology, and environmental-geochemical analysis of rift lakes. Education: Dr.rer.nat. in Paleoclimatology (2011) and Diploma in Geosciences (2006) from University of Potsdam/FU Berlin Key Projects: Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project (HSPDP), Chew Bahir Basin studies, Suguta Valley hydrology Her research focuses on paleoclimate dynamics in East Africa, using lake sediments , isotope geochemistry , and micropaleontological proxies to understand climate variability across Quaternary periods. She investigates how hydroclimate fluctuations impacted hominin evolution and dispersal routes, particularly during the African Humid Period (15–5 ka BP) and MIS 12 glacial stage. Recent publications (2024) examine Lake Albert biodiversity via environmental DNA, Lake Naivasha metal sources , and Chew Bahir strontium isotopes . Earlier work includes volcano-tectonic fragmentation of Turkana-Suguta Megalake (2023), paleo-hydrology of Greece (2021), and Angolan diatom studies (2020). She employs multi-sensor remote sensing and phytolith analysis for climate modeling. Teaching responsibilities include BSc/MSc courses in Micropaleontology, Paleontology, and field practicals in Austria. She organizes African fieldtrips (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, etc.) for paleoenvironmental data collection.
Michael Glascock is a Research Professor and Group Leader of the Archaeometry Lab at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). He holds additional roles as an Adjunct Research Associate and Senior Research Scientist at MURR. His research focuses on archaeological materials analysis, particularly obsidian sourcing and geochemical characterization of archaeological artifacts. Dr. Glascock earned his Ph.D. in 1975 from Iowa State University and has over 35 years of experience in Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and gamma-ray spectroscopy applied to archaeology, geochemistry, and environmental science. His current work emphasizes obsidian source characterization in the Western Hemisphere, including studies of prehistoric trade networks in Kamchatka, Georgia, and Patagonia. He also investigates ceramic production techniques and raw material procurement in regions such as Oman, Panama, and Peru. Glascock’s methodologies include NAA, portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), and isotopic analysis to trace material origins and human mobility patterns. Recent publications highlight his contributions to understanding obsidian circulation in Patagonia, Neolithic procurement strategies in Georgia, and ceramic production in ancient Sardis. His research bridges archaeology, geochemistry, and environmental science to reconstruct ancient human-environment interactions and cultural networks. Dr. Glascock collaborates on interdisciplinary projects like the Purísima Concepción Archaeological Project in Tierra del Fuego and the Sardis Archaeological Research Project. He maintains an active role in developing archaeometric databases and advancing analytical techniques for cultural heritage materials.
