The WAC-10 Student Committee, part of the WAC-10 Organisation, is deeply committed to ensure students’ active and fair participation, and overall well-being during the upcoming Congress. In pursuit of this objective, this Committee seeks to:
1. Spread the word and collaborate for more equitable participation: We aim to promote an inclusive, decolonial, and critical archaeological environment within the WAC-10, through the participation of a representative body of students from all over the globe. By organizing outreach initiatives, informational sessions, and interactive platforms, we hope to spread the word and reach out to students and early researchers, particularly women, who remain significantly underrepresented in large archaeological debate spaces such as worldwide congresses.
2. Elevate together the underrepresented voices: Our committee strives to actively collaborate with students from varied backgrounds, fields of study, and geographic areas to promote a broad spectrum of viewpoints and perspectives at WAC-10. We emphasise the importance of incorporating often overlooked voices from marginalised communities, such as economically disadvantaged nations and indigenous populations. By fostering an atmosphere of fair involvement, we aim to create a setting where every student feels valued, acknowledged, and empowered.
3. Collectively shape the future of archaeology: We advocate for students to play a significant role in influencing the direction of future archaeology. By encouraging open dialogues, hosting discussions, and partnering with seasoned professionals, we seek to cultivate an environment where students and early career researchers can amplify their voices and ensure their insights shape the conversations at WAC-10. We aim to create a space where students find their insights valued and effective, shaping the congress’s academic and practical dimensions and providing them with a global platform for more significant engagements in archaeology and allied disciplines.
4. Overcome financial barriers for women archaeologists: We acknowledge the financial challenges students and early-career researchers face, particularly those from low-income countries. These barriers are further compounded for women and gender-diverse individuals, who face additional layers of systemic inequities, further complicating their journey. Hence, we are committed to fundraising efforts for encouraging the participation of those young women scholars who have already expressed interest in participating in WAC-10. Resources will be allocated with an emphasis on diversity and necessity, giving preference to applicants from nations with weaker currencies and less favourable exchange rates. The distribution of financial support will be thoughtfully evaluated to promote fairness, prioritising increased aid for individuals from areas confronted with significant economic challenges. We aim to reduce financial barriers for young women, fostering a more inclusive and representative student body at the WAC-10 conference.
By pursuing these initiatives, the WAC-10 Student Committee aims to help cultivate a vibrant, diverse, and internationally representative student community, promoting a fairer and more inclusive environment for the discussion of present and future for archaeological research and practice.
Sudeshna Biswas and Lucía Gutiérrez, Co-chairs, WAC-10 Student Committee.
Members of the Committee
Sudeshna Biswas – WAC-10 Co Chair Students Committee
Sudeshna Biswas is a PhD candidate at the Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, working in rock art research in the Central India, ethnoarchaeology, and archaeological anthropology. She is a University Gold Medalist in post-graduation from the University of Delhi, India and she is currently supported by the prestigious University Grants Commission (UGC), India, Senior Research Fellowship for her doctoral work. Her academic interests encompass socio-cultural anthropology, qualitative research, tribal studies and archaeological anthropology, with a particular focus on understanding human cognition, cultural patterns, and the anthropological interpretations of rock art and heritage. Beyond her academic endeavours, she is a trained vocalist in Indian Classical Music, blending cultural heritage with her scholarly pursuits.
Lucía Gutiérrez, Argentina, WAC-10 Co-Chair Students Committee
Lucía Gutiérrez is an Argentine archaeologist from University of Buenos Aires (UBA), currently in the last phase of her PhD, funded by UBA and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET). She studies the use and management of coloring resources through archaeometric analyses of rock art and other painted artifacts from Patagonian hunter-gatherer contexts (Early to Late Holocene).
Mary Otu, Nigeria
Mary Otu is a historian and archaeologist(M.A Archeology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria) specializing in the application of digital tools in archaeology, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), photogrammetry, and archaeometric analysis. She is receiving training in cultural resource management and museum curation, equipping her with expertise in heritage preservation and collection management. With extensive field and laboratory experience, she has contributed to multiple archaeological projects, gaining hands-on knowledge in excavation, survey techniques, and artifact analysis. Her research focuses on landscape archaeology, exploring human-environment interactions over time, and heritage conservation, emphasizing sustainable strategies for preserving cultural sites and materials.
Shiyu Tian, China
Shiyu Tian is a second-year postgraduate student in College of Applied Arts and Science of Beijing Union University. Research direction is Gender Archaeology. Her mentor is Professor Guoding Song. She has been involved in the organization of unearthed cultural relics from important archaeological sites such as the Niujie area in Beijing and the palace area of the Shang Dynasty site in Zhengzhou. Her current work is focused on recording the oral histories of female archaeologists from different historical periods in China through interviews.
Vitória Dioto de Brito, Brazil
Vitória Dioto de Brito holds a degree in Anthropology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and has a strong passion for archaeology and cultural heritage preservation. She completed a mobility semester at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, focusing on Conservation Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage.
