Spotlight on selected 2016–17 JGSS Scholars
The Jordanian Graduate Student Scholarship (JGSS) was first awarded in 2009. Students must be enrolled in the first year of an M.A. or Ph.D. program in Jordan in a subject related to cultural heritage. Typically, the applicants apply during their first year of graduate study and the award is to help them with their expenses. The scholarship was created by the Trustees of ACOR to support Jordanian scholarship in heritage and cultural resource management. It awards $3000 each to four selected Jordanian graduate students every year. From 2009 to 2017, the JGSS has been awarded to 29 promising Jordanian graduate students in the fields of Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, and Epigraphy.
Read about two recent JGSS recipients:
Farah Abed Al-Qader Mohammad Abu Naser is currently a student at the Hashemite University where she is working on her Master’s Degree in Archaeology of Ancient Arab Civilizations. Farah has worked previously at the excavation at Zakouma on documentation of pottery and inscriptions. In addition, she has participated in multiple conferences regarding conservation and tourism. This year, she is conducting research for her project “Damage assessment and 3D reconstruction toward a comprehensive conservation plan at Umm Qais, Jordan.” Umm Qais is an ancient city with a rich history shaped by the Greco-roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. She notes that this important archaeological site, which has been partially and preliminary conserved, lacks a comprehensive conservation plan. Through assessments and monitoring of the site, Farah hopes to evaluate possible risks and propose a comprehensive plan for the conservation of this unique city. In addition, she will generate a 3D model of the site to assist in further research. Farah hopes that her research will help in conserving this important city which serves as a tourist attraction.
Mais Zaid Abul-Kareem Al-Abbadi is currently a student at the University of Jordan where she studies Archaeology and Tourism. This year, she is conducting research for her project “Classification and typology for lithic tools in Tell Abu as-Sawwan Neolithic Site.” Tell Abu Suwwan is located near Jarash by the old Jarash- Amman highway. Mais has had the opportunity to work on previous excavations at this sight while completing her B.A. and M.A. Her work seeks to examine the stone tool types from the site and their distribution in order to gain an understanding of the activities performed at the site. Mais work seeks to document the stone tools, place them in chronological order, compare them to other sites in the area, evaluate the relationship between the tools and the site, and use this information to assess the site’s function.
