Ralf Vandam

Ralf Vandam is a postdoctoral researcher in Archaeology, Environmental changes, and Geo-Chemistry at the Department of Archaeology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), within the Faculty of History, Archeology, Arts, Philosophy and Ethics. His work focuses on resilience in socio-ecological systems, ancient agricultural terraces, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding environmental and cultural changes. He has held prestigious fellowships including the FWO Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020) and has contributed to over 68 research outputs since 2012.

His research spans archaeological surveys in Turkey (e.g., Sagalassos, Ağlasun Valley), Cyprus (Hala Sultan Tekke), and Italy (Monti Lucretili), integrating methods from environmental science, digital humanities, and geochemistry. Key projects include the 'Untangling the Late Bronze Age Collapse' (2023–2028) and 'Ancient Agricultural Terraces in the Eastern Mediterranean' (2024–2028). He actively engages in public outreach, including school lectures and media contributions on topics like archaeological discoveries and river evolution in Brussels.

Vandam’s awards include the 2025 Best Poster Award for his work on Mediterranean agricultural terraces and has supervised students such as Polte De Weirdt. His research emphasizes sustainability, resilience, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with a focus on revealing 'soil memories' and long-term human-environment interactions.