I’m Emily, a PhD student at The University of Edinburgh, researching community engagement in development-funded archaeology. I was fortunate to receive the Historic England bursary, which allowed me to travel from Edinburgh to Chester to attend the 2024 CIfA conference. I am extremely grateful for receiving this bursary, as I would have otherwise been unable to cover the costs myself.
I was very keen to attend this conference, as many of the sessions explored areas relevant to my research, such as sessions on ‘Beyond the Dig: working with volunteers’ and ‘Published Legacies: alternative approaches to fieldwork publications’. These sessions challenged me to think about my topic in different ways, and I have benefited greatly from the resulting discussions. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers, chat to stall holders, and meet people through the social events. I have already come away with new contacts and opportunities – including becoming a panel member for Registered Organisations Inspections, which I believe will benefit my professional growth.
As my research examines both practice and theory, it was great to be able to hear of some fantastic community engagement projects already occurring across the UK. The conference was also a great opportunity to attend the launch of the Public Engagement Toolkit. I have recently joined the Community Archaeology SIG committee, so I enjoyed seeing the culmination of their work, as well as the opportunity to meet some fellow committee members in person.
