The SPatial Archaeometry Research Collaborations (SPARC) Program promotes the use of spatial analysis, 3D modeling, and remote sensing technologies in archaeological research projects. The things archaeologists study?from artifacts to sites to landscapes?almost always have spatial components that are essential to understanding cultural processes. Digital museums allow for morphometric analyses of remote, fragile, and/or priceless artifacts; geophysical investigations help pinpoint subsurface features such as houses that save time and money during excavation; the remote sensing technique LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) identifies natural and anthropogenic landscapes such as ancient roads through impediments like vegetation cover. Today, the increasing availability and sophistication of digital technologies is not merely generating new data but is facilitating entirely novel means of engaging with the archaeological record. However, the high costs of instrumentation and software, combined with the expertise they require, create a hurdle for many archaeologists who aim to deploy geospatial technologies in research projects. Through a competitive, peer-reviewed application process, SPARC facilitates collaborations between archaeologists interested in adding a digital component to their research with SPARC institutions, who leverage the technological infrastructure of instrumentation, software, and expertise of faculty and technical staff at the University of Arkansas' Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, Dartmouth College?s Spatial Archaeometry Lab, and the University of Glasgow. Since 2013, SPARC has supported 35 collaborative projects involving 73 PIs and co-PIs from 46 different institutions for research in over 20 countries. SPARC has a strong track record of supporting women and early-career researchers, providing external funding and publishing opportunities essential to developing competitive careers, and for researchers located at public universities and non-profits. Online seminars and workshops, student training opportunities, leadership in professional organizations, methodological innovations, and new grant awards all stem from SPARC research.
The SPARC Program's goals are to: enhance the research productivity of archaeological projects by making geospatial technologies available to researchers who would not otherwise have access to the tools or skills needed to collect and analyze these data; generate high-value, efficient archaeological data by participating in fieldwork and analytical projects; provide training opportunities for students and professionals seeking to use geospatial techniques; promote the development of new geospatial applications in archaeology and their visibility to the broader community; and support good practice in archiving and publication of digital data. SPARC offers direct support to archaeological projects through awards in three categories?Fieldwork (on-site data collection), Data & Analytics (preparation, processing, and analysis), and Publication (presentation, publication, and archiving)?that utilize a wide-ranging set of methods including high-performance computing, surface reconstruction and morphometric analysis, volumetric 3D imaging, near-surface geophysics, aerial remote sensing and survey (e.g. ?drones?), geodetic positioning and topographic survey, and 3D visualization. SPARC strives to build a program that is increasingly visible - attracting top research projects; efficient - as project staff build on their experience; high impact - as pilot projects build skills in research teams around the world; and innovative - with broader collaborations leading to significant methodological advancements.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
