Alicia J . M . Colson
Alicia is an EC50 – Fifty People Changing the World” award recipient of The Explorers Club, Class of 2022. She's an Affiliated Research Fellow at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. As an archaeologist and ethnohistorian working with computing scientists, Alicia collaborates with indigenous peoples, NGOs and governments in Canada, UK, US, and Antigua to understand our pasts. Expeditions in Namibia and Iceland encouraged her to practice citizen science. https://aliciacolson.wixsite.com/aliciacolson Substack: https://aliciajmcolson.substack.com/
Supervisors: Bruce G. Trigger (Archaeologist and ethnistorian) - McGill, Jose E. Igartua (historian) - UQAM, Toby Morantz (ethnohistorian) - McGill, Wendy Hall (Computer Science) - Southampton, Paul Lewis (Electronics & Computer Science) - Southampton, Warwick Bray (archaeology) - UCL - Institute of Archaeology, C. S. "Paddy" Reid - Regional Archaeologist, Ontario Government, and Canada
Supervisors: Bruce G. Trigger (Archaeologist and ethnistorian) - McGill, Jose E. Igartua (historian) - UQAM, Toby Morantz (ethnohistorian) - McGill, Wendy Hall (Computer Science) - Southampton, Paul Lewis (Electronics & Computer Science) - Southampton, Warwick Bray (archaeology) - UCL - Institute of Archaeology, C. S. "Paddy" Reid - Regional Archaeologist, Ontario Government, and Canada
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Academic articles by Alicia J . M . Colson
Whatever the format, it involves the totality of our being. The use of our eyes indicates that decisions about whatever it is that we observe have already been made. Yet the interaction between the mechanical act of seeing and the mind or memory has rarely been registered. An object once seen implies that the researcher’s consciousness is engaged. The description of mere shape records
that interaction.
To establish whether sub-conscious decisions have been made as to the meaning of a shape, it might be placed in an armature. VIPS/ip software, created by both computer scientists and art historians, provides such an armature. The separate roles played by memory, brain, and eye in engaging with the shapes, encountered on the pictograph sites of the Lake of the Woods might then be detected. Subsequent labelling which bears these roles in mind just might isolate the contribution made by memory. The systematic identification and cataloguing of such images by an investigator may also enable us to understand something of the intricate and uncharted past of the Canadian Shield and about ourselves.
particular approaches, methods, and framework of different approaches adopted by previous work. For the frontiers of research can only be pushed forward if every generation of researchers challenges and re-examines the work of its predecessors. Such surveys of previous work should form part of
a base which is founded on a solid understanding of the fundamental issues and problems of the field at hand. Each investigator must conduct a detailed survey and analysis of their predecessor’s work. This to enable them to establish which approach has been the most popular, what have been the
previous findings, what were their premises, what have been the methods and the frameworks that have been utilized. The studies reviewed have been categorized according to the theoretical approach taken by the principal investigator of the study. The author concludes with a short discussion of her rationale in choosing and establishing the sequence of several theoretical
approaches for use in path breaking research."
Magazine articles by Alicia J . M . Colson
It was published on The Tech Magazine, ISSN: 2753 9024, 24 October 2024, pages, 28-31
Whatever the format, it involves the totality of our being. The use of our eyes indicates that decisions about whatever it is that we observe have already been made. Yet the interaction between the mechanical act of seeing and the mind or memory has rarely been registered. An object once seen implies that the researcher’s consciousness is engaged. The description of mere shape records
that interaction.
To establish whether sub-conscious decisions have been made as to the meaning of a shape, it might be placed in an armature. VIPS/ip software, created by both computer scientists and art historians, provides such an armature. The separate roles played by memory, brain, and eye in engaging with the shapes, encountered on the pictograph sites of the Lake of the Woods might then be detected. Subsequent labelling which bears these roles in mind just might isolate the contribution made by memory. The systematic identification and cataloguing of such images by an investigator may also enable us to understand something of the intricate and uncharted past of the Canadian Shield and about ourselves.
particular approaches, methods, and framework of different approaches adopted by previous work. For the frontiers of research can only be pushed forward if every generation of researchers challenges and re-examines the work of its predecessors. Such surveys of previous work should form part of
a base which is founded on a solid understanding of the fundamental issues and problems of the field at hand. Each investigator must conduct a detailed survey and analysis of their predecessor’s work. This to enable them to establish which approach has been the most popular, what have been the
previous findings, what were their premises, what have been the methods and the frameworks that have been utilized. The studies reviewed have been categorized according to the theoretical approach taken by the principal investigator of the study. The author concludes with a short discussion of her rationale in choosing and establishing the sequence of several theoretical
approaches for use in path breaking research."
It was published on The Tech Magazine, ISSN: 2753 9024, 24 October 2024, pages, 28-31
This is a co-authored article by Alicia J M Colson and George Kenny. an Elder from Lac Seul First Nation.
https://niche-canada.org/2023/10/30/what-is-a-heritage-river/
https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/hse-network/tag/petroglyphs/
https://contingentmagazine.org/2020/11/15/visiting-old-friends/
https://adventureuncovered.com/stories/the-brown-bear-and-i-archeology-adventure-and-colonisation-in-the-canadian-wilderness/
https://www.wonkmagazine.co.uk/post/food-archaeology-avocado
https://www.mikaelstrandberg.com/2017/04/09/opinion-internal-exploration/
“The day the world changed.” by Dr Alicia Colson
Length: 45 minutes followed by Q&A for 20 minutes. Film available on Vimeo account belonging to the Radical Anthropology Group.
It was given on Zoom.
Seminar given by everyone to those attending the Heritage and Colonialism Discussion Group @HCDGroup (HCDG) was started by Cambridge Heritage Research Centre graduate members, Alisa Santikarn and Mariana P. L. Pereira. (https://www.heritage.arch.cam.ac.uk/events/heritage-and-colonialism-dg)
Length: 45 minutes followed by Q&A for 20 minutes. Film available on Vimeo account belonging to the Radical Anthropology Group. The Radical Anthropology Group (http://radicalanthropologygroup.org/) brings indigenous rights activists, environmentalists, feminists and others striving for a better world together with people of all ages.
I spoke as an archaeologist and ethnohistorian and I'm a Fellow International of The Explorers Club.
Talk lasted 45 minutes followed by Q&A
This paper will address the perception that the boreal forest is considered an archaeological ‘hinterland’. The geographical location of the Lac Seul region and the rivers that connect it to other regions will be outlined. The idea that Lac Seul became a “hub” for trade and cultural interaction will be presented. Data from archaeological sites located within the Crooked-Pelican region of the Lac Seul area, including sites initially documented by J. V. Wright in 1962 will be provided focusing on the Pelican Falls site, EaKa-1.
It will be immediately apparent that contemporary groups can only identify themselves with historic and prehistoric populations at their peril. For the interpretation of an archaeological artefact requires rigid intellectual discipline if context is to be securely established. To establish cultural continuity such discipline relies upon the canons of various disciplines. Only after that discussion can the ‘meaning(s)’ of the pictograph sites in the region be ascertained and their relevance to modern cultural life established.
The paper debates the history and ethnography of the indigenous peoples who lived in the boreal forest in the Lake of the Woods area located between Lakes Winnipeg and Superior.
This report is subdivided into several sections. The first part briefly discussed the goals and aims of the teaching methods given that these projects are teaching, rather than research projects. The report subsequent presents a very detailed introduction to the geographical region so that readers can obtain a background against which the projects implemented by the science leaders and those who contributed projects. Each project has presented in detailed in the following sections: introduction which contains the goals, aims, the methodology utlised by the leader (called contributor in this instance) and the physical location in which the activities took place. The report subsequently presents the results, a discussion of the results and any conclusions drawn by the person implementing the project. In some instances there are some references but not always. This report presents from final conclusions and ends with acknowledgements.
of new content but also a new means to publish, securely distribute and above all protect the quality of that content. They created a unique product, the Publication Ecology™ and The Mentor, their own secure framework, through any of the components of any number of Publication Ecologies™ can be deployed. Essentially Long Point Island Publications has created a new publishing and distribution platform for new triple validated premium non-fiction content. LPIP essentially produces very
powerful publications to exploit an increasing global market demanding to be fed premium triple validated quality content a highly effective manner. The Publication Ecologies™ are unique. Each of Long Point Island Publications’ ‘Titles’ is non-fiction and each empowers its user to work with the content of each Publication Ecology™, ‘walled gardens’, and within The Mentor also a ‘walled garden’ so as to either acquire or polish skills using an array of specially built Toolkits while gradually building their repertoire of knowledge, both general and detailed possibly with the support of a ‘live tutor’.
Organized by Dr Myles Harris (UCL Institute of Risk and Disaster Reduction) and Luke McAdie, undergraduate at UCL. London, UK.
Abstract:
Archaeology, as a profession, requires its practitioners to explore and discover the archaeological record often in remote far flung regions of the planet. Unfortunately invented characters such as Indiana Jones do not help matters. Yet numerous women are early pioneers in archaeology but sadly only a few of them, such as Gertrude Bell or Lady Hester Stanhope are known to the general public. A cursory glance of the lives of these early female pioneers in archaeology reveals that they not only fundamentally affected the methods, theories and practices within archaeology but they invariably challenged the status of women quo both socially and professionally. Today these early female practitioners behave as inspirational role models to today’s female archaeologists. This is striking as despite women taking greater role in the profession since the birth of the discipline over 150 years ago they often suffer from sexism, harassment, inequality, and worse still assault. This talk will present the earlier female pioneers in archaeologist to show their courage, resolve and achievements especially to those outside of archaeology as knowledge is holistic, the world is becoming smaller in terms of physical exploration and adventure.
22nd August 2019
SV Tenacious
A 20 minute talk followed by 20 minute Q&A on the top deck of the SVTenacious while sailing from off the coast of Derry, across the Irish Sea. All talks were 20 minutes in length followed by 20 Q&A and chaired by the Captain.
https://www.rgs.org/in-the-field/rgs-explore-festival/explore-symposium