On January 1, longtime colleague Laura Motta formally joined the Kelsey Museum as assistant curator for archaeobiological collections. Laura has held various research positions at the Kelsey since 2007, most recently serving as a research specialist. After being awarded an Excellence of Science grant for the AGROS project in 2022, Laura moved to the Program in the Environment and the Department of Classical Studies with a joint tenure-track position as assistant professor of environmental archaeology. Though she continued to work with the collection and run the Archaeobiology Lab, Laura was not connected with the Kelsey Museum in an official capacity.
In her new curatorial role—jointly held in the Kelsey and the Department of Classical Studies—Laura will manage the reorganization and preservation of, as well as promote the study of, the impressive variety of plant and animal remains that helps make the Kelsey collections so remarkable. This archaeobiological material provides information on ancient environments, diet, and economic strategies—issues that are relevant to contemporary society and currently under-addressed in our displays and public education activities.
Just as the Kelsey is glad to have Laura on the team again, she is excited to be back: “The Kelsey family has grown with the addition of new creative, dynamic, fabulous colleagues,” she explained. “It is an important transitional moment for the museum, and I am looking forward to contributing to this change with my expertise.”
