ArchaeoSciences Platform Opens Doors for Students as Part of European Researchers’ Night

On September 26-27, 2024, the laboratories of the ArchaeoSciences Platform (ASp) at The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), in collaboration with Bucharest Science Festival, welcomed students from primary, middle, and high schools to a marathon event held under the umbrella of the European Researchers’ Night.

The event, organised by ASp-ICUB, aimed to familiarise middle and high school students with the unique and enriching multi- and interdisciplinary research activities carried out in the laboratories of the ArchaeoSciences platform. The students had the opportunity to visit the Digital Archaeology, Microarchaeology, Stable Isotopes, and Pottery Technology laboratories located at the University of Bucharest. In each lab, students and their teachers received detailed explanations from research team members, providing them with a unique learning experience that enriched their understanding of archaeology and science.

In the Digital Archaeology lab, the focus was on data acquisition equipment, including drones and non-intrusive prospection devices, as well as data processing methods for publication. The presentation covered equipment operation, types of data collected, and how this data corresponds to real-world findings.
In the Microarchaeology lab, students observed and assisted in analysing and interpreting artefacts and ecofacts using a microscope and other analytical techniques such as SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy).
The Stable Isotopes lab showcased the process of collagen extraction from ancient archaeological bones (both human and animal), demonstrating how this material is encapsulated and analysed to understand the dietary habits and environmental conditions of the time.
In the Pottery Technology lab, students were introduced to methods for analysing ceramic materials, including the assembly of fragmented vases and compositional analysis. A special focus was placed on experimental archaeology, with demonstrations of raw materials’ composition and physicochemical properties, as well as the construction and use of pottery kilns.

The event was a collaborative effort, moderated on behalf of the ASp team by Daniel Stoicescu, Cristian Roth, and Sebastian Dumitrescu, with support from volunteer students Stan Elena-Roxana and Martha Horvath from the Faculty of History of our university. This collaborative spirit fostered a sense of community among the participants, making them feel part of a larger educational network.

A total of 130 students from several Bucharest schools, including Gymnasiums 59, 126, 56, and Evrika Schools, as well as high school students from the National Theoretical High School and ‘Grigore Cerchez’ Technological College, participated in the visits to the ArchaeoSciences labs at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics of the University of Bucharest, located at 14 Academiei Street. This event, organised by ASp-ICUB, was a testament to the value we place on your education and the importance of introducing you to the world of research.

The event had the support of the project SciResCareer – PNRR C9-I10: Financial Contract no. 760032/23.05.2023, cod 4/16.11.2022, financed within PNRR/C9 Investment I10 – Start-up and financial support of a national network of eight regional centres for career orientation, part of the ERA TALENT PLATFORM.