President
Sabrina Higgins
Welcome to the UOAS/SAUO website where you will find everything you need to know about the University of Ottawa Archaeological Society. We are a group of students dedicated to the study and practice of archaeology, and we hope to share this passion with all of you. I became interested in Archaeology once I began my studies at the University of Ottawa in 2003 and since then i've never looked back. I have a B.A in Classics and Religious Studies from the University of Ottawa, an M.A in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from the University of British Columbia, and I am currently in my second year of the PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa with a focus on the archaeological evidence for the cult of the Virgin Mary in Egypt. I have participated in 4 archaeological projects: Priniatikos Pyrgos, Crete; Ayia Sotira, Nemea, Greece; The Red Church Conservation Project, Bulgaria; and Cambustica, Bulgaria. I am also on the board of directors for the Ottawa chapter of the American Institute of Archaeology (AIA). Finally, I will be teaching 2 courses this year, CLA 2110 (Introduction to Archaeological Methods and Techniques) and CLA 3000/3900 (Archaeological Excavation Practicum). I hope that you all get involved in the UOAS and come out to our events and support our partnership with the Ottawa chapter of the AIA, who sponsor monthly lectures for your benefit. I know this will be a great first year for our society and I look forward to seeing you at our events. Please don't hesitate to contact us at
sauo.uoas@gmail.com
Vice-President of Activities and Internal Affairs
Michèle Lamarche
Welcome to the wonderful world of Archaeology! My name is Michèle Lamarche and I am working on two BAs concurrently at the University of Ottawa. The first is a Specialization in English Literature and the second is a Major in Medieval Studies with a Minor in Classical Studies. Thanks to some friends (Sabrina Higgins the uOAS President and Jason Holtz the uOAS VP Finance) I became interested in Archaeology and decided to register for the Introduction to Archaeology course, CLA2110. For some, this course destroyed the romantic illusions behind becoming an archaeologist or treasure hunter, like Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, etc. For me, it showed me a glimpse of my future. In the summer of 2008 I participated in my first archaeological excavation and it was the most amazing, educating and rewarding experience of my life. This past summer, I rejoined the same team in Jordan and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. I am slowly but surely working my way through my undergrads. I must work fulltime to afford my studies therefore I only study part-time. My plan is to pursue graduate studies in either Near-Eastern or Medieval Archaeology.
Vice-President of Finance
Jason Holtz
Vice-President of Communications and Outreach
Siobhan Creelman
Oh Hey, Archaeology Enthusiasts! I’m Siobhan Creelman, your VP Communications and Outreach. I’m going into my third and final year of a Three Year General Bachelor of Arts degree, with a minor in Classical Studies. I started my studies at uOttawa in 2008 as an English major but realized that I need to study something more hands on and interactive to stay interested. After taking the introductory archaeological methods and techniques class (now taught by Sabrina) I decided that not only is archaeology a hands on experience, it’s also pretty damn cool. While we don’t have an archaeology program here at uOttawa, Classical Studies, Anthropology and even Geography are all related subjects.
I spent the summer of 2010 in central Tuscany excavating a 7th- 5th century BCE Etruscan site with UMass Amherst. I loved everything about the dig and hope to return next season.
Archaeology is fascinating and crucial to our understanding of civilizations, but it’s also really expensive. I was fortunate enough to be the premier recipient of the AIA Ottawa Chapter Fieldwork Bursary. One of the goals of the University of Ottawa Archaeological Society is to work together with the AIA Ottawa Chapter to increase the funds available for this bursary to get funding to more students planning on a Field Work Experience. More interest and involvement that we have with our local chapter of the AIA increases our chances of this happening, so join us and get involved!
Vice-President of Academics
Mahdi Nazemroaya
