Lead researchers: Iain Hewitt and Julia Best
School/Faculty: Faculty of Science and Technology
Cluster, centre, institute: Archaeology and Anthropology
URA position title: Cultural and Scientific Perceptions of Human / Chicken Interactions Project
Relevant disciplines:
BSc (Hons) Archaeology
BA (Hons) Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology
BSc (Hons) Archaeological, Anthropological and Forensic Sciences
BA (Hons) Archaeology and Anthropology
Description of the position: It is envisaged that this URA will contribute towards two projects within
SciTech. The first will be the Cultural and Scientific Perceptions of Human-Chicken Interactions
Project. For this the URA will act as an assistant to the post-doc manager of the project undertaking
data input and supporting project outreach events. In the second instance time will also be devoted
to the Dewlish Roman Villa Publication Project. This is an archaeological site that was excavated by
the predecessor institution of Bournemouth University between 1969-1979 but which has remained
unpublished. The project is now at an advanced stage of completion and it is envisaged that the
URA will contribute towards the re-drafting of archaeological sections and desk-based research.
These two projects offer the student the valuable opportunity to experience two very different but
ultimately integrated strands of research. For the Dewlish work the student will become very
familiar with an individual archaeological site and its associated material. This develops an important
set of archaeological skills that can be employed in commercial and academic settings. Then, whilst
working with the Chicken Project, the student will learn how individual detailed site analyses can be
compiled and drawn together in order to create wide period and geographical syntheses of
archaeological and ecological data. As such, by working on these two projects the student would
gain a valuable insight in the varied aspects of archaeological work that are conducted, from an
individual site’s excavation and publication to its encompassment in the wider regional, temporal
and archaeological setting.
Explain how this position will enhance and enrich the student's undergraduate experience and
how it relates to the relevant courses/disciplines and/or future career of the student: The student
will gain first-hand experience of handling and managing complex datasets from across Europe. The
student will benefit from increased understanding of zooarchaeology, data extraction and database
use. This will enhance a range of. This will promote and develop a range of transferable skills and
research capabilities including independent data assessment and management. The student will be
an active contributor in data collection and will be acknowledged as such in forthcoming
publications. The student will therefore be able to show advanced data management skills to
potential employers and have demonstrable experience in team-based research (the Chicken Project
incorporates over 20 researchers at six UK universities and an extensive base of international
colleagues). The student will also have the opportunity to be involved in a range of outreach events
including the 2015 Festival of Learning, and workshops aimed at encouraging college students to
attend university. The URA would also have the opportunity to partake in social media based
research dissemination via project websites, blogging, and twitter.
In order to take account of other commitments and with the aim of diversifying the student
experience, the student will work on the publication of the Dewlish Roman Villa with particular
reference to the drawn archaeological sections. In this regard the student will learn how to digitise
the drawings, feed them into a Computer Aided Design programme in order to produce illustrations
for publication. These contributions will be acknowledged as a contribution to the final published
report.
How will the position be supervised and mentored: On data handling days the student will work in
the same office as the Cultural and Scientific Perceptions of Human/Chicken Interactions Project's
post-doc. (Julia Best) who is supervising and conducting the data entry for the Project. As such,
guidance will be close at hand and the student will be part of the team.
When working on the Dewlish Villa Publication Project, the student will be supervised by Iain Hewitt
and expertise in the use of CAD will be overseen by Bournemouth Archaeology.
List of duties and responsibilities of the position:
1. The undergraduate research assistant will be responsible for aiding in the input of data into the
Chicken Projects database. As part of this project the researchers are gathering large quantities of
data from across Europe to form the largest species specific archaeological dataset. The nature of
this data input is time-consuming due to the need for accuracy and detail. As such, a dedicated
undergraduate research assistant would be a valuable addition to the work in progress. In addition,
they will need to help the Project fulfil its wider aims including: the preparing of outreach events,
information dissemination, social media engagement, and assisting with the collection of
archaeological material which can involve visiting archaeological sites and archives.
2. For the Dewlish Villa Publication Project the student will be responsible for archaeological sections
and for the ad hoc archiving of material archive associated with the sections.
List the position qualifications including any special requirements (be specific): This URA would be
ideally a Level I or 40-week Placement student from any of the Programmes listed above. However,
in the past, similar projects have attracted four Level C students with considerable success with all of
the students continuing to take an active part in University life and achieving outstanding honours
results. One of these past examples is now employed by the University and two others are on
Masters courses. Therefore any undergraduate student could be considered subject to enthusiasm
and commitment.