Expression of Interest to Host ISBA12
Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia
ANU researchers are at the forefront of building capacity and developing ethical practices for research in palaeoproteomics, lipid analysis, and DNA research and have developed collaborative ties with colleagues across the institution. ANU not only hosts state-of-the-art analytical facilities but also fosters a collaborative environment for academic growth, acting as a node institution for major government funded centers of excellence in archaeological science and Indigenous deep histories.
ISBA 12 will be a vehicle for the dissemination of innovative approaches and practices in the discipline, promoting the inclusion of geographical areas usually marginally represented, with an emphasis on the advancement of this discipline in Australia and the Asia-Pacific. This regional focus allows for major methodological innovations to be foregrounded in the discussion, such as the preservation and extraction of biomolecular data from tropical archaeological sites. We will also emphasise how ethical principles must play a leading role in the field’s development, including through keynote speakers and panel discussions.
The ANU campus is an ideal location to host ISBA 12 with several venues that include state of the art audiovisual resources and mobility adaptations. The Kambri precinct, in the heart of our campus, symbolises the inclusion and diversity embraced by the conference organisers. For the traditional custodians of this land, ‘Kambri’ has been a meeting place for thousands of years. The name was gifted to the ANU by representatives of the Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council, Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation, King Brown Tribal Group, and the Ngarigu Currawong Clan.