mission statement

We will invite speakers and panellists from underrepresented and intersectional backgrounds to represent the field not as it is, but, rather, as it should be. By creating an event where speakers and attendees can see themselves represented, we hope to encourage new researchers from historically under-represented backgrounds to continue pursuing their goals.

As PhD candidates ourselves, we recognize that emphasis is placed on academia as a career path for most new researchers. We do not wish to see our colleagues abandon the field if they are not passionate about this line of work. So, our second objective is to invite panellists from diverse archaeological fields to speak about their research, career paths, and how they adapted to challenges they faced along the way. The panellists will also be available to answer questions from the attendees. In this way, we hope speakers and attendees will be inspired to use their unique skill sets in fulfilling and novel ways, and to make informed and confident career decisions.

We recognize that, within the research community, COVID-19 restrictions have disproportionately affected PhD students and ECRs—especially parents, carers, those from BAME backgrounds, or those with unequal access to adequate study space. Thus, we will welcome speakers to present either finished or unfinished work and will offer two different presentation lengths to better suit needs and comfort levels. Alternatively, researchers will be able to submit research posters (with preference given to students and ECRs) to be presented online. The diversity of presentation options should provide every interested researcher with an appropriate presentation method. By highlighting adaptation amongst new researchers facing an unprecedented set of challenges, we hope to celebrate their resilience as success, promote collegial peer mentorship, and provide them with an opportunity to present their work when orthodox methods may not allow. In sum, we hope to embed EDI initiatives into the heart of our event and create a timely event with a long-lasting impact.