Announcing the SAS and JAS Emerging Investigator Award
The Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) and the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) have partnered in a new initiative to highlight and celebrate the key role of early career researchers in advancing archaeological science. The purpose of the award is to promote and acknowledge research excellence among early career scientists and provide an international venue for publication of significant work. The research must have a notable impact in the field of archaeological science.
Manuscripts must be nominated for consideration for the award upon submission to JAS. The manuscript will be peer-reviewed by external reviewers as per JAS ordinary procedures. The Emerging Investigator Award will be selected by the SAS Executive Board and senior editors of JAS after evaluating the group of nominated and published manuscripts. Nominations will be considered once per year. All nominated papers with a publication date from the previous year will be considered, and the award announcement will take place in the first half of the current year. Manuscripts submitted in one year but published in a different year will be rolled over for later award consideration (e.g. submitted 2023, published 2024, eligible for award announced in 2025).
The winning article will be widely promoted and made available for free from JAS for one year. The Emerging Investigator author will be highlighted by The Society for Archaeological Sciences and the Journal of Archaeological Science, and will receive a prize of USD $500.
Eligibility
- The applicant will have made the major contribution to the research paper, as indicated by being first author or equal first author (either directly by author order or by formal written acknowledgement by all other authors).
- The applicant must have been awarded their PhD or highest academic degree within the previous 8 years at the time of manuscript submission. If there have been significant career interruptions these should be noted by the submitting author at the time of nomination.
Submission and Nomination
- Authors should simply indicate their willingness to be considered for the award by using the tick box on the JAS online submission system when the manuscript is submitted for initial review. Manuscripts not ticking this selection on the website will not be considered.
Assessment Criteria
An assessment of the applicant’s work will be made by an evaluation panel appointed by The Society for Archaeological Sciences and the Journal of Archaeological Science, primarily based on:
- Innovation and originality of the research
- Impact or potential impact on the field of archaeological science
Information
For additional information on this award, please email
Download the Informational Flyer
Awardees of the Society for Archaeological Sciences and Journal of Archaeological Science Emerging Investigator Award
2024
We are very pleased to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) and Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Emerging Investigator Award for 2024 has been awarded to Lasse Lukas Platz Herskind for the paper “A computational linguistic methodology for assessing semiotic structure in prehistoric art and the meaning of southern Scandinavian Mesolithic ornamentation”. Follow the DOI for more info: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.105969
The paper was selected as an outstanding example of transdisciplinary work, combining computational methods and Mesolithic non-figurative art with linguistics and semiotics. The study provides a novel approach for analysing ancient semiotic systems through art objects and proposes new methodologies for tackling concepts of symbolism, language and communication in prehistoric societies. The paper serves as a strong example of digital humanities, andhas a wider impact on understanding intangible heritage and social connectedness in archaeological research.
Author’s comments:
“I remain proud of this publication but am nonetheless overwhelmed by the positive feedback it has received. This computational linguistic approach is hopefully only the first in a series of interdisciplinary novelties to prehistoric art research, and it is my hope that fellow researchers will help me explore, improve, and test these ideas.”
Due to very high number and quality of papers this year, the Award Committee decided to announce three Honourable Mentions for the SAS-JAS Emerging Investigator Award 2024:
- Jasmine Vieri for the paper “Beyond baselines of performance: Beta regression models of compositional variability in craft production studies”, cf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.105969. The paper was highlighted as an innovative example of a modelling-based approach for compositional data that can make a significant contribution for the chemical analysis of archaeological artefacts across different material classes.
- Jean Rodier for the paper “Hammerscale and slag inclusions: New insights into metal supply during the early iron Age in Western Europe”, cf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105925. The paper was highlighted as a groundbreaking microarchaeological study of a type of material that is abundant but understudied, opening new avenues for provenancing archaeological iron.
- Li Kangkang for the paper “Multi-proxy investigations of Bronze Age diet and environment in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), northwest China”, cf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106089. The paper was highlighted as a noteworthy multiproxy biomolecular research tackling the correlations of past foodways and adaptations with extreme environments.
2023
We are very pleased to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) and Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Emerging Investigator Award for 2023 has been awarded to Jonathan S. Lim and Gonzalo J. Linares Matás as equal first authors of the paper “Dunes, death, and datasets: Modelling funerary monument construction in remote arid landscapes using spaceborne stereo imagery”. Follow the DOI for more info: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105815
2022
We are very pleased to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) and Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Emerging Investigator Award for 2022 has been awarded to Tina Roushannafas as first author on the paper “Geometric morphometrics sheds new light on the identification and domestication status of ‘new glume wheat’ at Neolithic Çatalhöyük”. Follow the DOI for more info: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105599
2021
We are very pleased to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) and Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Emerging Investigator Award for 2021 has been awarded to Emmanuelle Casanova, as first author on the paper “Compound-specific radiocarbon dating of lipid residues in pottery vessels: a new approach for detecting the exploitation of marine resources”. Please find this paper using the following doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2021.105528.
2020
We are very pleased to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science (JAS) and Society for Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Emerging Investigator Award for 2020 has been awarded to Andrea Mason, as first author on the paper “Provenance of tin in the Late Bronze Age Balkans based on probabilistic and spatial analysis of Sn isotopes”. Please find this paper using the following doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2020.105181. The panel noted the complex approach to Sn isotope analysis, including the characterisation of cassiterite sources and Late Bronze Age artifacts, coupled with k-means clustering and Bayesian probabilistic statistical methods, which outlines an original contribution to isotope studies.
2019
We are proud to announce that the Journal of Archaeological Science and Society for Archaeological Sciences Emerging Investigator Award for 2019 has been awarded to Hector Orengo and Arnau Garcia-Molsosa, for their paper “A brave new world for archaeological survey: Automated machine learning-based potsherd detection using high-resolution drone imagery” (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2019.105013). The panel commended the visionary combination of drone-based photogrammetry, machine learning and parallel computing in an open source environment, with the potential to revolutionize traditional field survey methods.