Andrew Pottorf serves as a Teaching Associate in Assyriology at the University of Cambridge's Department of Archaeology, where he specializes in social structures of ancient Mesopotamia with particular focus on the Ur III period (ca. 2110-2003 BCE). His academic appointment falls under the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science. Dr. Pottorf's research concentrates on: Socio-political organization of ancient Mesopotamian societies Assyriology and Mesopotamian Languages Epigraphy & Paleography of cuneiform texts The muškēnum and UN-il2 social categories as intermediate statuses between slavery and full citizenship Economic and legal systems of third-millennium BCE Mesopotamia His recent publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining nuanced social stratification in ancient Mesopotamia, challenging traditional binary models of social status. His work demonstrates how groups like the muškēnū functioned as 'settled outsiders' requiring protection from rulers, occupying a precarious position between citizens and slaves. His textual analyses of Ur III administrative documents reveal how these groups were typically conscripted for full-time agricultural and animal husbandry work without the economic flexibility of citizen-class individuals. Dr. Pottorf actively contributes to academic discourse, having presented 'The lives and work of the serflike UN-IL2 in the Ur III period' at the 68th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale workshop 'Beyond Slavery and Freedom in the Ancient Near East' at the University of Leiden in July 2023. His research connects with broader departmental themes including Heritage Studies and Material Culture research at Cambridge.
Hassan Fazeli Nashli is a Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading, specializing in ancient Iranian civilizations with a focus on the Chalcolithic to Bronze Age periods of the Iranian Plateau. His research integrates traditional archaeological methods with geoarchaeological approaches to examine societal transitions and environmental interactions. His primary research interests include: Development of early administrative systems in pre-literate societies Social complexity in transegalitarian communities Human-environment relationships during the Holocene Material culture sequences of Southwest Asia Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on interdisciplinary methodologies, particularly combining ceramic analysis with paleoenvironmental reconstruction. His work demonstrates particular expertise in the archaeology of the Central Iranian Plateau and Tehran Plain, with significant contributions to understanding early writing systems and settlement pattern shifts. Fazeli Nashli maintains active international collaborations, most notably with Professor Roger Matthews of the University of Reading, evidenced by multiple co-authored publications spanning two decades. His research trajectory shows increasing emphasis on theoretical frameworks for understanding societal transitions in ancient Near Eastern contexts.
Cécile Michel is a renowned Assyriologist holding dual roles as a Senior Researcher at CNRS (France) and Professor at Universität Hamburg (Germany). She specializes in the history of Upper Mesopotamia and Anatolia during the second millennium BCE, focusing on private archives, literacy, material culture, and ethical research practices. Her work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, particularly in analyzing cuneiform tablets and ancient textiles. Michel leads the 'Ethics' working group within the Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) at Hamburg and coordinates international projects like the RFA09 (CT scanning sealed tablets) and RFE04 (Assyrian manuscript culture). Education details are not explicitly provided, but her career highlights include: Doctor honoris causa from Copenhagen University (2017) and Hamburg University (2023) President of the International Association for Assyriology (2014–2018) Scientific delegate at CNRS's Scientific Integrity Mission Recipient of the Knight of the Legion of Honor (2019) Her research interests span: Materiality of cuneiform tablets and digital preservation Gender roles in ancient societies Archival literacy and education Textile archaeology and trade networks Her documentaries, such as Thus speaks Taram-Kubi (2016) and Cuneiform script: writing and calculating (2017), have garnered international acclaim. She actively promotes ethical practices in archaeology and cultural heritage preservation, including work on safeguarding manuscripts from Timbuktu and Nepal. Key grants and projects include leadership roles in the SFB 950 ‘Manuscript Cultures’ (2011–2020) and Cluster of Excellence UWA (2019–2025). Her research teams collaborate globally, integrating archaeology, digital humanities, and experimental archaeology to decode ancient texts and artifacts.
Amar Annus is an Associate Professor of Near Eastern Religions at the University of Tartu , Faculty of Arts and Humanities, School of Theology and Religious Studies since 2021. He has held visiting positions at institutions like the Free University of Berlin (Marie Curie Fellow) and École française d’Extrême Orient in Pondicherry, India. PhD in Assyriology from the University of Helsinki (2003) Specializes in Assyriology and Cognitive Science of Religion Active in translating and commenting on classical Near Eastern texts His research interests span ancient Mesopotamian mythology, royal ideology, cognitive science of religion, and intertextuality between ancient Near Eastern and Judeo-Christian texts. His 2025-2024 publications focus on Assyrian royal genealogy, Enochic responses to Mesopotamian sages, and comparative cognitive models in ancient scholarship. He received Estonian National Science Awards in 2023, 2022, and earlier Akadeemia magazine awards. Annus supervises two PhD students and has led major projects like Forms of Creativity in the Intellectual History of Ancient Mesopotamia (2017-2020), funded at €177,600.
Prof. Dr. Gerd Graßhoff is Professor at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and served as Director of the Excellence Cluster Topoi (2010–2019). He leads interdisciplinary research on ancient science, coordinating projects that span Babylonian astronomy, Greco-Roman scientific instruments, Ptolemaic geography, and the epistemology of spatial knowledge. His research integrates philological analysis of cuneiform and classical sources with modern digital techniques such as 3-D scanning and GIS to reconstruct ancient scientific practices and their conceptual frameworks. Key Themes: Mathematical astronomy in Babylonia History and function of ancient sundials Geographical concepts in Ptolemy’s work Causal reasoning and empirical methods in antiquity Globalization and transmission of ancient knowledge Across more than fifty publications since 2010—including monographs, edited volumes, and journal articles—Graßhoff has advanced the study of how ancient cultures observed, measured, and theorized space and time. His work repeatedly combines meticulous source analysis with innovative digital documentation. Scientific Outreach & Awards: While formal awards are not listed in the supplied text, Graßhoff has organized numerous high-profile conferences and workshops (e.g., the annual Topoi Jahrestagungen, specialized sundial workshops, and international colloquia at venues such as ETH Zürich), demonstrating sustained scholarly leadership and recognition. Teams, Labs & Projects: He heads or co-heads several Topoi research groups including Forum – Spatial Data Analysis (A-SDA) Space of Nature (D-5) From Technology to Science: Knowledge Transfer in Antiquity (D-6) Atlas of Innovations (hosting the Key Topic Innovation) These groups bring together doctoral researchers, post-docs, and international guests to generate digital editions, 3-D reconstructions, and theoretical analyses of ancient scientific artefacts.
John Steele is the Charles Edwin Wilbour Professor of Egyptology and Assyriology at Brown University. He holds affiliations in Egyptology and Assyriology and is a senior fellow at New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World. Previously, he served as a Royal Society University Research Fellow at Durham University, an E.P. May Fellow at the University of Toronto, and a Dibner Institute Postdoctoral Fellow. Education: PhD in Durham University (1998) BS in Durham University (1995) Research Interests: John specializes in the history of exact sciences in antiquity, particularly Babylonian astronomy. His work explores the intersection of astronomy, mathematics, and culture in ancient Mesopotamia. He has edited major book series like Scientific Writings from the Ancient and Medieval World and contributes to journals such as Isis and Journal for the History of Astronomy . Publications Trends: His recent work focuses on Babylonian astronomical records, cross-cultural comparisons of ancient sciences, and the reception of Mesopotamian knowledge in European scholarship. Key themes include planetary observations, lunar phenomena, and the methodological foundations of ancient astral sciences. Awards & Honors: Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, Durham University (2016) Nominated to Shaanxi Province's Experts Database (2015–present) Guest Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2014–present) Caeno Chronology Scholar Prize (2003) Teaching & Editorial Roles: He teaches courses on ancient sciences, Assyriology, and Babylonian astronomy. Editorial roles include associate editorships for SCIAMVS and advisory roles for Isis and Journal for the History of Astronomy . His research lab focuses on deciphering cuneiform astronomical texts and their global historical impacts.
Dr. Christopher W. Jones serves as an Assistant Professor of History at Union University, where he joined the faculty in 2023. His academic specialization centers on the history of the ancient world, with particular expertise in the Neo-Assyrian empire (930-612 BC). Prior to Union, he taught at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, and held a postdoctoral position at the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires (ANEE) at the University of Helsinki in Finland. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. in History from Columbia University M.A. in Biblical Archaeology from Wheaton College B.A. in Peace, War, & Defense and History from the University of North Carolina Dr. Jones's research focuses on imperial administration, cultural responses to living under empire, trade connections, and the influence of the Neo-Assyrian empire on Biblical history. His current book project, The Structure of the Late Assyrian State , examines the changing political structure of the Assyrian Empire during its final century. His methodology increasingly incorporates social network analysis to understand court dynamics, while his work bridges ancient history with contemporary issues through analyses of cultural heritage destruction by groups like ISIS. His scholarly output demonstrates a clear trajectory toward examining power structures within the Neo-Assyrian Empire, with recent publications showing sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches that combine historical analysis with political science and archaeology. His work maintains relevance to modern geopolitical challenges through examinations of cultural heritage destruction and national identity formation. Dr. Jones received the International Association for Assyriology Prize for Best First Article in 2024 for his work on Sennacherib's assassination. His publications appear in respected journals including the Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History, Journal of Biblical Literature, and Avar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Life and Society in the Ancient Near East. While specific advising details aren't extensively documented, his active publication record and conference presentations at major venues like the American Society of Overseas Research and Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meetings indicate significant scholarly engagement. His work bridges academic history with public discourse through contributions to platforms like HyperAllergic. Based in PAC J-9H at Union University, Dr. Jones contributes to the College of Arts & Sciences' mission of integrating Christ-centered academic excellence with historical scholarship, serving as part of a learning community that combines top-tier academics with Christian faith across numerous programs of study.
Prof. Dr. Nils P. Heeßel is a University Professor at the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Philipps University of Marburg. His research focuses on Babylonian-Assyrian culture, divination practices, Mesopotamian medicine, and demonology. He serves as the Speaker of the DFG Graduate College 2844 "Inszenierung religiöser Atmosphäre in antiken Kulturen" (2023–2024) and has held leadership roles at the Marburg Centre for Ancient World Studies and the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (2022–2024). He has published extensively on cuneiform medical texts, astrological omens, and Assyrian scribal culture. His recent editorial work includes co-editing Legitimising Magic (2023) and kullat ṭupšarrūti (2023). His academic affiliations span organizations like the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft and the International Association of Assyriology.
Saana Svärd is a Professor at the University of Helsinki in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Languages. She specializes in ancient Near Eastern studies with a focus on gender analysis, digital humanities, and emotional history in Mesopotamian texts. Academic Affiliation: University of Helsinki (Faculty of Arts, Department of Languages) Research Themes: Neo-Assyrian Empire, gender studies, digital approaches to cuneiform texts Her recent research explores emotional semantics through computational methods and bodily mapping in ancient texts. She directs the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires (2018-2025) and leads the 'Embodied Emotions' project (2022-2026). Notable awards include the 2021 Helsinki Science Award and 2023 honorary mention for co-editing Muinaisen Lähi-idän imperiumit . Key projects include: Digital Humanities approaches to Akkadian texts Quantitative analysis of Neo-Assyrian religious affiliation Gender roles in ancient Mesopotamian societies
Tommi Jauhiainen is a Researcher at the University of Helsinki , affiliated with the Department of Digital Humanities and the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires (ANEE) . He specializes in Language Technology and Digital Humanities , focusing on computational methods for analyzing historical texts. His research interests include Egyptology , Automatic Text Dating , Cuneiform Script , and Computational Linguistics . He has contributed to projects like Automatic Classification and Analysis of Texts from Egyptian Antiquity (2024–2029) and FIN-CLARIAH (2024–2025). Recent articles highlight his work on machine-readable hieroglyphic texts , automated chronotopical analysis , and language resource development for underrepresented languages. He actively participates in peer review and conferences like the International Congress of Egyptologists .
Ronald Kim is an Associate Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Older Germanic Languages within the Faculty of English at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. Born and raised in New Jersey, USA, he completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University in 1996 before earning his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University, he taught at several US institutions including Penn, Temple, and Swarthmore before joining Adam Mickiewicz University in 2009 as a Visiting Professor, eventually securing his current position as Associate Professor. Kim's academic credentials include an AB in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University (1996), a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania (2002), and a D. Litt. in English Linguistics from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (2015). His research spans multiple areas of historical linguistics with particular focus on Indo-European languages including Tocharian, Iranian, Balto-Slavic, Greek, Celtic, and Anatolian, as well as Semitic languages like Aramaic. His work encompasses sociolinguistics, language variation, language contact phenomena, dialect geography, phonology (particularly autosegmental, nonlinear, and prosodic approaches), morphology, and pidgin and creole linguistics with emphasis on English-based contact languages of the Pacific. Analysis of Kim's recent publications reveals a clear trajectory in his scholarly work, with increasing focus on Iranian languages, particularly Ossetic, while maintaining strong connections to broader Indo-European studies. His work demonstrates sophisticated integration of comparative linguistic methods with computational approaches to language evolution, particularly evident in his contributions to phylogenetic studies of Indo-European languages. There's also a consistent thread of interest in suppletion phenomena across multiple language families. His research often bridges theoretical linguistic concerns with historical and geographical contexts, particularly the linguistic landscape of Central Asia and the Silk Road region. Erasmus+ teaching exchange, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, January 2020 Heiwa Nakajima Foundation fellowship, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo, Spring 2017 AMU research travel grant, Department of Linguistics, University of Pennsylvania, September 2013 Junior Research Grant, Swarthmore College, Spring 2007 Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities, Cornell University, 2002-03 University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertation Fellowship, 2001-02 William Penn Graduate Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, 1996-2000 Adam Mickiewicz University rector's prize for publications, 2019 Kim serves in multiple editorial capacities, including General Editor of Indo-European Linguistics (with Joseph F. Eska) and Chatreššar: International Journal for Indo-European, Semitic, and Cuneiform Languages (with Petr Zemánek). He also sits on the Editorial Board of Brill's Studies in Indo-European Languages & Linguistics, the Editorial Advisory Board of Lingua Posnaniensis, and serves as a Board of Reviewer for Tocharian and Indo-European Studies and the Academic Journal of Modern Philology. His research has been supported by numerous grants including projects on Ossetic Historical Grammar funded by the National Science Centre Poland (2020-23), The Historical Morphology of the Old Armenian Verb funded by the Czech Science Foundation (2017-19), and participation in the Indo-European Cognate Relationships project at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (2015-). Kim maintains an active international presence through frequent conference participation and invited lectures at major institutions worldwide including University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Harvard University, Kyoto University, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. His scholarly network spans multiple continents, reflecting the international nature of Indo-European linguistic research.
Johannes Haubold is a Professor of Classics at Princeton University, specializing in ancient Greek, Roman, and Babylonian literatures and their interactions. He studied in Würzburg, Tübingen, and Cambridge, earning his PhD and serving as a Eugenie-Strong Research Fellow. Before joining Princeton in 2018, he taught at Durham University. Education: PhD in Classics, University of Cambridge His research bridges Classical and Near Eastern studies, focusing on Homer, Hesiod, and Babylonian texts like the Astronomical Diaries , which influenced Chaldean astrology. He advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to dissolve traditional disciplinary boundaries. Haubold's recent publications include the 2020 Beyond Alexandria and the 2019 co-edited Keeping Watch in Babylon , both exploring Hellenistic and Babylonian intersections. His 2013 monograph Greece and Mesopotamia earned the PROSE Award. Scientific Awards: PROSE Award (2013) Humanities Council Grant (2023-2024) Eugenie-Strong Research Fellowship He collaborates widely, having held visiting positions at Harvard, Leiden, and the École Pratique des Hautes Études. His teaching integrates Mediterranean and Near Eastern humanities, emphasizing foundational texts like the Iliad , Odyssey , Epic of Gilgamesh , and Aeneid .
Ehsan Doostmohammadi is a Researcher at the Artificial Intelligence and Integrated Computing Systems (AIICS) department of Linköping University . His work focuses on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Language Model Optimization , with particular interest in Retrieval-Augmented Models , Multimodal Learning , and Low-Resource Language Processing for Persian and Swedish. Research Interests : Retrieval-Augmented Language Models Swedish Language Processing Persian Language Technology Medical Text Analysis Cross-lingual Transfer Learning Publications : 15 recent articles spanning 2018–2025 Key themes: AI , NLP , Language Model Efficiency
Marko Halonen is a University Researcher at the Department of Cultures, University of Helsinki, specializing in Church History. He holds a PhD from the University of Helsinki (2020) and has a diverse academic background, including a BA from the University of Helsinki and the University of Edinburgh (2010) and an MA in Church History (2012). Education : Matriculation Examination, Ressu Upper Secondary School (2004) BA, University of Helsinki/University of Edinburgh (2010) MA, University of Helsinki (2012) PhD, University of Helsinki (2020) His research spans History and Archaeology, Literature Studies, Theology, and Educational Sciences, with a focus on historical narratives, cultural analysis, and interdisciplinary studies. Recent publications highlight his engagement with contemporary geopolitical issues, Islamic jurisprudence, and ancient Mesopotamian studies. Halonen has contributed to 34 research outputs, including books, articles, and reviews, and is currently participating in the ERC Synergy Grant project The Medieval Book and Networks of Northe (2025–2031). His activities include presentations at conferences like the Seventh Finnish Colloquium of Middle East and North African Studies (2024) and peer-review work.
Hannes Galter, Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Antiquity, University of Graz, is a distinguished scholar in Mesopotamian studies . His work focuses on Assyrian royal inscriptions, cultural contacts in the ancient Near East, ideology history, and Mesopotamian literature/mythology, particularly around the god Enki/Ea. He also investigates the history of Austrian Oriental Studies and Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall's contributions. Research areas include: Mesopotamian historiography and literary traditions Cultural and ideological dynamics in Assyrian history Enki/Ea mythology in Akkadian tradition Austrian Oriental Studies history Publications highlight his expertise in Assyrian royal ideology, mythological analysis, and historical interpretation. His work spans monographs, conference proceedings, and contributions to anthologies. Scientific honors include: VÖV Medal of Honor (2019) for adult education contributions Austrian Urania for Styria Badge of Honour (2019) Certificate of appreciation from the Iranian-Austrian Cultural Initiative (2018) Certificate of appreciation from the Israelite Community (2000) Leadership roles in academic societies and editorial boards include: Advisory Board of Austrian Urania for Styria (since 2021) Co-editor of Graz Oriental Studies (since 1986) Membership in international Assyriology and Oriental Studies associations
