[1] Royal Museum for Central Africa (AfricaMuseum)
Name and address of institution: AfricaMuseum (Royal Museum for Central Africa), Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium
Website: https://www.africamuseum.be
Contact: Aurore Mathys (aurore.mathys@africamuseum.be, digitization expert (2D+/3D))
Topics of expertise / potential projects: The museum hosts one of the world’s most diverse collections on Central Africa, including archaeology, ethnography, art, natural sciences, and historical archives. Potential projects include applying AI to archaeological datasets, object recognition and classification, digitization and semantic enrichment of collections, and developing tools for heritage interpretation and research. RMCA is currently involved in the ISHANGO-AI use case but welcomes STSMs exploring other parts of its collections.
Duration of stay: RMCA is open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and proposed topic.
[2] MAPPA Lab – University of Pisa
Name and address of institution: MAPPA Lab — Department of Civilisations and Forms of Knowledge, University of Pisa,
Via dei Mille 19, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Website: www.mappalab.eu
Contact: Gabriele Gattiglia (gabriele.gattiglia@unipi.it); Nevio Dubbini (nevio.dubbini@unipi.it)
Topics of expertise / potential projects: MAPPALab specialises in integrating AI into archaeology, employing Deep Learning and Large Language Models to automate the classification and identification of archaeological features and to extract information from legacy datasets. It also develops open-data repositories and interoperable archives to support AI reuse, and designs AI-driven workflows for 3D modelling, ceramic recognition, and the reconstruction of past environments and human–environment interactions from complex datasets.
Duration of stay: MAPPA Lab is open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and the proposed topic.
[3] N.C.S.R. “Demokritos”
Name and address of institution: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, N.C.S.R. “Demokritos”, Patr. Gregoriou E & 27 Neapoleos Str, 15341 Agia Paraskevi, GREECE
Website: https://inn.demokritos.gr
Contact: Anno Hein (a.hein@inn.demokritos.gr)
Topics of expertise / potential projects: In the Cultural Heritage Research Program at our institute we work on the characterization of archaeological and traditional materials in view of manufacturing technology, provenance, thermo-mechanical performance and deterioration processes. For this, we apply diverse analytical methods and material testing as well as structural 3D modeling and digital simulations. Potential projects will concern the set up of data repositories with microstructural images for training machine learning models for automated categorization, pattern recognition and stochastic reconstruction of 3D models from 2D images.
Duration of stay: NCSRD is open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and proposed topic.
[4] Pre- and Early Historical Archaeology – Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Name and address of institution: Arbeitsbereich Vor- und Frühgeschichtliche Archäologie des Instituts für Altertumswissenschaften, Hegelstraße 59, 55122 Mainz (Germany)
Website: https://iaw.uni-mainz.de/en/pre-and-early-historical-archaeology/
Contact: Maxime Brami (mbrami@uni-mainz.de)
Topics of expertise / potential projects: Based in Mainz, a leading hub for archaeological science in Germany, the Department of Pre‑ and Early Historical Archaeology has spearheaded several AI-related initiatives. It contributed to the development of AutArch, an AI-assisted workflow for data mining archaeological illustrations (graves, artefacts, botanical remains etc.), now recognized as one of six official MAIA use-cases. The department also collaborates with the Leibniz‑Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) on the integration of 3D scans of artefacts with 2D outlines extracted from legacy resources. We welcome projects that aim to deploy AutArch at scale or to new categories of artefacts and bioarchaeological remains. In addition, the department has experience analysing high-resolution survey images and is currently engaged in a project involving the analyses of LiDAR images from Luxembourg using AI, Citizen Science and predictive modelling. Finally, we maintain a close partnership with the Palaeogenetics laboratory of JGU Mainz and are eager to collaborate on AI initiatives that integrate archaeology and genetics.
Duration of stay: We are open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and the proposed topic.
[5] Archaeology – Aarhus University
Name and address of institution: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Moesgaard Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg (Denmark)
Website: https://cas.au.dk/en/departments/archaeology-and-heritage-studies
Contact: Felix Riede (f.riede@cas.au.dk)
Topics of expertise / potential projects: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University has a tradition of computational archaeology that reaches back to the 1980s. Besides archaeometry, heritage studies, and rich culture-historical foci, the Department has recently made particular efforts in developing 2D artefact morphometrics, eco-cultural niche modelling workflows, and the quantitative articulation of palaeoclimatic and archaeological data. More broadly at Aarhus University, we collaborate with cognitive scientists in exploring the visual and attention affordances of archaeological materials (e.g. pottery decorations, cave art) and with colleagues at the Centre for Humanities Computing that specialise chiefly in text analysis. Aarhus University is engaged in the UC centred on the extension of AutArch, an AI-assisted workflow for data mining archaeological illustrations (graves, artefacts, botanical remains etc.). We thus welcome projects that aim to deploy AutArch at scale or to new categories of artefacts and bioarchaeological remains. Besides, we would also welcome projects focused on mobility or rock art, Citizen Science, and niche modelling. The integration of archaeology with palaeogenomics is also a current concern.
Duration of stay: We are open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and the proposed topic.
[6] Culture & Creative Industries Department at “Athena” Research &
Innovation Center
Name and address of institution: Institute for Language and Speech Processing (ILSP) (Athena Research Center), University Campus, South building, Kimmeria, 67300 Xanthi, Greece
Website:https://culturalheritage.athenarc.gr/en/department/ https://www.ilsp.gr/en/department/culture-and-creative-industries/
Contact: Despoina Tsiafaki (tsiafaki@athenarc.gr )
Topics of expertise / potential projects: The Department of Culture and Creative Industries at the “Athena” Research Center conducts interdisciplinary research and technological innovation in cultural heritage and creative industries. Leveraging expertise in archaeology, natural sciences, engineering, and informatics—and supported by advanced computational and multimedia facilities—the Department focuses on the preservation, documentation, interpretation, and dissemination of cultural content from Antiquity to the 20th century.
Its activities include digital archaeology, material analysis, multimedia databases, 3D reconstructions, GIS applications, AI, digital twins, and the creation of interactive systems for museums, collections, and public engagement. The Department emphasizes both scholarly rigor and accessible, innovative presentation methods. It regularly collaborates with undergraduate and graduate students through internships and short-term research projects.
Potential projects include exploring the applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in archaeological research, enhancing understanding of AI-driven methods, and applying AI to archaeological datasets for tasks such as object recognition, classification, and semantic enrichment. Projects may also focus on digitization, 3D reconstruction, and the development of tools for heritage interpretation, research, and public engagement. The Institute also welcomes STSM proposals aligned with other aspects of its interdisciplinary activities in digital archaeology, cultural heritage technologies, and creative industries.
Duration of stay: We are open to setting the duration appropriate to the availability of the candidate and proposed topic.
[7] Cultural Heritage Management Laboratory, University of the Aegean, Greece
Name and address of institution: Department of Cultural Technology & Communication, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Lesvos, 81100 Greece
Website: https://www.ct.aegean.gr/En/En_Index
Contact: Despina Catapoti (dcatapoti@aegean.gr), Alexandra Bounia (abounia@aegean.gr)
Topics of expertise / potential projects: The Cultural Heritage Management Laboratory of the Department of Cultural Technology & Communication at the University of the Aegean focuses on the critical examination of the relationships between Artificial Intelligence (AI), culture, and society. The Laboratory provides an interdisciplinary research environment that brings together cultural studies, digital humanities, policy analysis, and technological expertise, with particular attention to the societal, institutional, and environmental implications of AI in cultural contexts.
A central research axis of the Laboratory concerns AI, culture, and governance, with emphasis on the analysis of legislation, ethical frameworks, and institutional documents at national, European, and international levels. This includes the study of cultural policy instruments, regulatory frameworks, and strategic documents addressing AI and its impact on cultural production, cultural heritage, and creative industries.
A second major axis addresses AI and cultural and natural heritage, with particular focus on environmental challenges such as climate change, sustainability, and risk management. Research in this area explores the role of AI in documenting, monitoring, and interpreting cultural and natural heritage, as well as assessing the environmental implications of digital technologies and data-driven heritage practices.
The Laboratory also investigates AI and work in the cultural sector, examining transformations in cultural labour, professional practices, skills development, and institutional workflows. This axis includes the study of automation, human–AI collaboration, and the socio-economic effects of AI adoption in museums, archives, cultural organizations, and creative industries.
A further research priority concerns AI, culture, and education, focusing on the role of AI in cultural education, heritage literacy, and lifelong learning. This includes the development and evaluation of educational frameworks, digital pedagogies, and training models that integrate AI tools while addressing issues of inclusivity, critical literacy, and ethical responsibility.
Within the framework of COST Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs), the Laboratory welcomes visiting researchers whose proposals align with these thematic axes. STSM activities may involve comparative policy analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, case studies, methodological development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Laboratory supports short-term research visits that contribute to critical, policy-relevant, and socially informed research on AI and culture.
Duration of stay: The duration of the STSM is flexible and will be defined in accordance with the availability of the visiting researcher and the objectives of the proposed research programme.