相関地域研究部門・特定研究員
PhD in Geoarchaeology (West University of Timișoara, Romania)
Specialty: Geoarchaeology, Applied Geophysics, Remote Sensing, 3D documentation
I am currently a Digital Heritage Manager and a Program Specific Researcher for the Maritime Asia Heritage Survey (MAHS) project at Kyoto University’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies. I oversee the workflow of big data for the project, which entails using both traditional and cutting-edge methods to shape our 3D documentation of heritage sites across the region. A variety of remote-sensing techniques, including various combinations of drone and DSLR photogrammetry, aerial and terrestrial laser-scanning, GIS, and satellite imagery, assist us in documenting and studying each site.
In addition to my role with MAHS, I am also the Principal Investigator of the MegaForts project (https://megaforts.projects.uvt.ro/), which was founded by the Romanian government and is administered by West University of Timișoara. The project investigates the defensive systems of the largest European Bronze Age fortifications, which were built in a small area between the Tisza and Mureș rivers after 1500 BCE. The project uses aerial and ground remote sensing (i.e. applied shallow geophysics) and core drillings for stratigraphy, micromorphology assessment, and soil sampling, including radiocarbon dating. As the project nears completion, impressive results have been confirmed, which will form the basis for several papers and a book publication.
In terms of my studies and qualification, I obtained an MA in Interdisciplinary Archaeology and a PhD in Geoarcheology from West University of Timișoara. For my PhD, focused on the interpretation of geophysical data in archaeology using advanced geospatial techniques, I developed a segmentation algorithm within Ecognition Developer Software for individualization and classification of geophysical anomalies. This algorithm, based on GEOBIA, can also be used in various fields of archaeological research, creating geostatistical data for a GIS approach. It could also be applied to any research that requires extraction and individualized study of some parts of the content.
Due to the necessity of accurate digital models for archaeology, I became involved in the study of fast field surveys with drones or laser scanning (terrestrial or aerial) that allow researchers to acquire and process data, run data models, and integrate results. Working with a plethora of GIS-related software and with a variety of methods (including magnetics, ER, ERT, and GPR), I have conducted several case studies, including mapping the subsurface structures of a lost medieval village in Romania and digital imaging of a Roman sanctuary. Over the years, I have also been part of several international archaeological and environmental projects in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
My long-term research goals include expanding international access to research grants, exploring new technical and scientific directions for archaeology, and developing accessible infrastructure for multidisciplinary research involving geosciences and archaeology.
