Welcome to Thenia Panagiotopoulou, who joins SAS as a Student Ambassador! This program is designed to engage students in professional development and outreach. Thenia is a PhD candidate in Human Osteology at the Science and Technology in Archaeological Research Centre (STARC), studying what isotope analysis on human remains can tell us about diet, subsistence, and mobility in Bronze Age Cyprus and Crete. On her interest and goals in the program, Thenia writes:

"Joining the SAS Student Ambassadors program is especially meaningful to me because my interest in communication and community-building comes from a very personal place. Speaking up, presenting myself, and putting my ideas forward have not always come easily to me, and I still know how intimidating those first steps can feel. For this reason, I am particularly looking forward to helping create a welcoming and supportive environment where students and early-career researchers can feel comfortable sharing their ideas, asking questions, and becoming more actively involved in the archaeological science community. I truly believe that confidence often grows when people are given the right space, encouragement, and opportunity to participate. At the same time, I believe that putting ourselves out there, meeting people, exchanging ideas, and learning to feel comfortable within our professional communities benefits not only us as individuals, but archaeology itself. The more we get to know one another, the easier it becomes to build trust, communicate openly, and create meaningful connections. And it is through this trust and sense of safety that some of the strongest and most lasting collaborations can grow."