Speaker: Dr Rowan McLaughlin, Maynooth University
Title: "Exploring Ireland's past with data"
Abstract: This talk will introduce how data science and statistics can be used to develop new understanding of historical processes at scale. Ireland's rich archaeological landscapes are a treasure trove of information about how past societies operated, the kinds of farming and industry that supported the population, and the impacts of these upon the environment. Interrogating these archives is made complicated by incompleteness and bias in the source data, and sources of significant uncertainty. We will explore methods for dealing with these issues, and discuss how data-driven modelling tools enable unique perspectives on the demographic, cultural and economic forces that shaped societies over the long term and led to the world of today.
Biography: Rowan McLaughlin is an SFI/IRC Pathway Fellow in the Hamilton Institute whose research applies statistics and data science to archaeology and history. This work aims to model cultural evolution and the relationships between cultural and environmental change. Prior to joining Maynooth in 2022 he has worked in the British Museum, The University of Alicante, and Queen's University Belfast, conducting interdisciplinary research and teaching in archaeology, ecology and geoinformatics.
Virtual Participation: Join Zoom
Meeting ID: 880 5506 4420
Passcode: 670076