News


Irkutsk State Technical University news article on acquisition of 3D scanner March 20, 2012 The Irkutsk State Technical University (ISTU) recently ran a news article on the acquisition of a 3D scanner donated by BHAP to their newly created archaeology laboratory. This piece of equipment is unique in Siberia and will enable scientists in Irkutsk to render precise images of artifacts and to share these images with colleagues worldwide. The 3D scanner is housed at ISTU in their newly created laboratory. Completion of the laboratory is planned for mid-2013 with more equipment, such as a digital microscope, still to be added. The article states that Dr. Robert Losey, University of Alberta (UofA), has brought the high-tech equipment to ISTU in order to better facilitate joint research and academic publications between scholars and students at both universities, as well as other scholars worldwide. Dr. Losey has been doing zooarchaeological research on ancient dogs and wolves in Siberia for the past 8 years, and plans to continue working with ISTU scholars to further this research. Joint research between ISTU and UofA began in 2007 under the Baikal Archaeology Project directed by Dr. Andrzej Weber, University of Alberta. Middle Holocene hunter-gatherers and fishers of the Cis-Baikal region were the main focus of research. Since 2011 the project, now known as Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project, expanded its research area into the Russian Far East and Japan, with plans to compare the two regions. News article here.	News Archive 2019 January Victoria van der Haas receives travel awards! Dr. Ian Scharlotta (Fraser-Shapiro) presents public lecture at La Purisima Mission Drs. Temple and Scharlotta present at Baikal Archaeology Project Graduate Student Seminar Sean Lynch co-author of a recent article in JASR! February Dr. Andrzej Weber granted title of â€œHonorary Professor of Irkutsk State Universityâ€! Franziska Kobe successfully defends Masterâ€™s Thesis and has article published 2018 January "Feeling down? Try a dose of dog." features Dr. Robert Losey in U of Alberta News! February Richard Henneberg successfully defends Master's thesis at Freie Universität, Berlin! March Dr. Ian Scharlotta acquires new position as Cultural Resources Coordinator at Texas State University Dr. Benjamin Osipov successfully defends PhD dissertation! Dr. Nour Moussa shares her article in JAS: Reports! Dr. Ian Scharlotta shares his articles in JAS: Reports! April Victoria van der Haas et al. paper published in JAS: Reports! PhD scholarship opportunity in Arctic Studies, University of Groningen June Dr. Christian Leipe article in Quaternary Science Reviews! Dr. Takumi Tsutaya article in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports! Dr. Benjamin Osipov acquires new position as Postdoctoral Scholar at UC Davis! July Dr. Rick Schulting article in Radiocarbon! Dr. Mareike Schmidt successfully defends PhD dissertation! September Pavel Tarasov and Stefanie Mueller, co-authors of recent article in Science! October Dr. Ian Scharlotta articles published in American Journal of Human Biology and International Journal of Osteoarchaeology November BAP Workshops Copenhagen November 1-3, 2018 December Dr. Andrzej Weber Public Lecture at the Vancouver Institute Dr. Daniel Temple, co-editor of new book "Hunter-Gatherer Adaptation and Resilience: A Bioarchaeological Perspective"! Dr. Mareike Schmidt article published in Palaeo3! 2017 March Dr. Christian Leipe et al. paper published in PLoS ONE BHAP Graduate students present posters at 25th Annual Richard Frucht Memorial Lecture Series! April BHAP presents at the AAPA Meetings in New Orleans BHAP Symposium held at the SAA Meetings in Vancouver May Monograph "Holocene Zooarchaeology of Cis-Baikal" edited by Drs. Losey and Nomokonova published! June BHAP team members I Scharlotta, R Schulting, C Bronk Ramsey, V van der Haas and A Weber present at the Radiocarbon and Diet 2nd International Symposium at Aarhus University, Copenhagen A. Weber, I. Scharlotta and V. van der Haas present papers at LAMPEA, Aix-en-Provence July Check out Drs. Angela Lieverse and Rick Schulting’s exciting data collecting trip to Japan below! October BHAP represented at Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology Congratulations to Victoria van der Haas and Katherine Bishop, Editors in Chief, on their inaugural issue of “COMPASS: The Student Anthropology Journal of Alberta”! Statement regarding recent article December Call for papers for CHAGS session entitled "The Material Correlates of Kinship Processes in Hunter-gatherer Societies" New paper published in Antiquity! Dr. Pavel Tarasov, Freie Universität, Berlin, shares great news about his students! 2016 January Drs. Novikov, McKenzie, Goriunova and Lieverse article published in “Problems of Archaeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories” Volume XXI, 2015 (In Russian) Dr. Ian Scharlotta awarded Postdoctoral position at LAMPEA to investigate variation in prehistoric hunter-gatherer behaviour February LAMPEA and BHAP Microsampling Workshops held at Aix-Marseille Université, France, February 25-26, 2016 March Mareike Schmidt et al. paper published in Journal of Asian Earth Sciences Sean Lynch et al. paper published in Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Dr. Robert Losey ancient human-dog bond news item on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News! Dr. Robert Losey research featured in the Edmonton Metro! Dr. Robert Losey in the news! April Dr. Stefanie Müller et al. research paper published in The Holocene Another research paper published in The Holocene by BHAP team! The broad impact of Dr. Pavel Tarasov and his team’s palaeoenvironmental work on Rebun Island and Lake Kushu Article in Quaternary Geochronology - Dr. Pavel Tarasov has more good news to report! May Congratulations to Victoria van der Haas, BHAP PhD student, for passing her Candidacy exam! Special Issue of Quaternary International "Bioarchaeology of Northeast Asia" Dr. Robert Losey interviewed about dogs on Dinner Television, May 18th! Sean Lynch et al. article published in Journal of Archaeological Science Reports BHAP graduate student Megan Trefry (Clarke) awarded the 2015-2016 University of Saskatchewan Master's Thesis Award for the Social Sciences! Dr. Angela Lieverse and Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova travel to New York University for cementochronology (cementum annulation analysis) training on ancient human and animal teeth Drs. Robert Losey and Tatiana Nomokonova’s work with seal hunters at Lake Baikal featured at the Kulturhistorisk Museum in Olso, Norway! June Samantha Purchase successfully defends Master's thesis! International Field School on Rebun Island, Japan July Dr. Hajime Ishida et al. new paper published in Archaeological Science! Dr. Hugh McKenzie and his student Mellisa Thew appear in Grant MacEwan University “M – Alumni News” magazine! September BHAP scholar, Dr. Angela Lieverse, elected as a member of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists! Brianna Mack successfully defends Master's thesis! Alex Novo presents paper on GPR at WAC-8, Kyoto October Dr. Andrea Waters-Rist, BHAP scholar, develops MOOC course "Osteology: The Truth in our Bones" November Special Issue of Quaternary International “Holocene Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology of Northern Eurasia”! Nour Moussa et al. paper published in Journal of Archaeological Science Reports December Dr. Benjamin Shepard successfully defends PhD dissertation! Ruth Urlacher successfully defends Master's thesis! 2015 January Dr. Andrzej Weber receives Education Abroad Group Award from University of Alberta International JSPS Core-to-Core 2nd Workshop of Biological Anthropologists held at University of Oxford Dr. Angela Lieverse interviewed on Quirks and Quarks CBC Radio Congratulations to Ruth Urlacher on receiving Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship February Northern Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology Workshop at the University of Groningen New University of California Press monograph on Hunter-Gatherer Ethnoarchaeology by Dr. Peter Jordan New Special Issue of Journal of World Prehistory (guest editors Peter Jordan, Junzo Uchiyama and Chris Gillam): Neolithization of Cultural Landscapes in East Asia BHAP welcomes Ms. Liz Lawton-Mathews, our new PhD student at the University of Groningen Dr. Lieverse et al. paper published in Antiquity! March Drs. Takumi Tsutaya, Hajime Ishida, and Minoru Yoneda paper published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology Mareike Schmidt presents poster on modern and fossil diatom assemblages from Lake Kushu, Rebun Island at 9th Central European Diatom Meeting, Bremerhaven Jacob Conner presents paper “Jomon Artifact Interactions in Contemporary Japan” at Frucht Student Conference Dr. Angela Lieverse interviewed by Quirks and Quarks on CBC Radio April Dr. Rick Schulting presents paper on prehistoric hunter-gatherers of the Cis-Baikal at the Annual Meeting for the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco Congratulations to Benjamin Osipov for passing his Candidacy exam! Dr. Andrzej Weber featured in "Because We Dared: Four at the forefront" article on the University of Alberta website Drs. Christian Leipe, Takeshi Nakagawa, Katsuya Gotanda, Stefanie Mueller and Pavel Tarasov paper published in Quaternary Science Reviews Personnel updates from our colleagues in Japan! Victoria van der Haas, BHAP PhD student, attends AAPA Meeting in St. Louis Lacey Fleming and Dr. Robert Losey do zooarchaeological research in Vladivostok, Russia May Dr. Angela Lieverse featured in the Spring 2015 issue of "Arts & Science", a semi-annual publication from University of Saskatchewan June Nour Moussa, BHAP graduate student, successfully defends Ph.D. dissertation! Megan Clarke, BHAP graduate student, passes Master's Dr. Ian Scharlotta paper published in Journal of Archaeological Science Reports Anthropology Field School on Rebun Island, Japan: memories from summer 2014 Dr. Ian Scharlotta paper published in California Archaeology July Rebun FieldSchool blog Dr. Nomokonova paper published in PLOS ONE Dr. Andrzej Weber featured in "Minds Without Borders" article in New Trail magazine August Mareike Schmidt, BHAP PhD student, presents at 13th International Paleolimnology Symposium (IPS2105) Dr. John Duke and Mr. Sean Lynch (former BHAP Master's student) present poster at MTAA 14 conference Dr. Nomokonova paper published in Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia Zooarchaeological-related Russian publications in the academic year 2014-2015 September BHAP news from Dr. Pavel Tarasov, Freie Universitaet, Berlin 15 new PhD positions for 2016 (Archaeology of the North / Archaeological Science) Dr. Hugh McKenzie paper published in Quaternary International October University of Alberta Hokkaido Field School gallery! Dr. Nomokonova paper (in Russian) on fauna from site Sagan-Zaba II published in Seriia Geoarkheologiia, Etnologiia, Antropologiia November BHAP Workshops held at University of Alberta, November 16-17, 2015 Dr. Robert Losey presents guest lecture at UBCO December Congratulations to Dr. Nour Moussa and family on the birth of baby girl Mariam! 2014 January "Estimating Body Mass in Dogs and Wolves Using Cranial and Mandibular Dimensions: Application to Siberian Canids" published! Upcoming BHAP Grad Seminar January 29, 2014 at University of Alberta Core-to-Core BHAP Physical Anthropology Meeting at Hokkaido University University of Saskatchewan MA student opportunity February Dr. Daniel Temple et al. paper published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology March Erin Jessup sits on Career And Placement Services/Faculty of Arts Anthropology Career Forum panel Congratulations to Sean Lynch, former BHAP MA student, on his new position April Ben Osipov, BHAP PhD student, awarded Circumpolar/Boreal Alberta Research (CBAR) Grant! Daniel Temple presents at the Paleopathology Association Annual Meetings held in Calgary, April 8-9, 2014 BHAP presentations at AAPA meetings, Calgary April 9-12, 2014 BHAP welcomes all to attend our upcoming research workshops held May 5–7, 2014 May BHAP Workshops at University of Alberta a great success! Congratulations to Dr. Peter Jordan et al. on the publication of their new book! July Angela Lieverse et al. paper published in International Journal of Paleopathology Angela Lieverse and Siberian Bronze Age skull trauma in the news! Andrea Waters-Rist article and interview "Dogs Were a Prehistoric Woman's Best Friend, too!" on Discovery News website New BHAP PhD opportunity: hunter-gatherer archaeology in NE Asia at University of Groningen! Andrea Waters-Rist et al. paper published the Journal of Archaeological Science Congratulations to Dr. Christian Leipe! August Rebun FieldSchool blog September Special Issue of Quaternary International published! BHAP welcomes Ms. Victoria van der Haas, our new PhD student at the University of Alberta Dr. Hirofumi Kato talks about Hamanaka 2 site on NHK TV news! October BHAP has its own Twitter account and Facebook page! November Dr. Robert Losey launches website about his research on dogs in Russia! Dr. Robert Losey's dog and wolf research from Cis-Baikal featured in BARK magazine BHAP graduate students present at the Department of Anthropology's "Fringe Friday" BHAP 2015 Field School on Rebun Island, Japan December Dr. Angela Lieverse article and interviews by CBC News Drs. Lieverse, Temple and Bazaliiskii paper published in PLOS ONE Victoria van der Haas, BHAP Ph.D. student, published in Nature 2013 January Rebun Island, Japan, Field School Spring/Summer 2012 ANTH 396 - Archaeological Field Training Dr. Lieverse et al. paper published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology Congratulations to BHAP team member Dr. Hajimi Ishida and colleagues on the publication of the following academic papers in 2012! February The Baikal-Hokkaido special issue of Quaternary International has been published Dr. Kato awarded two JSPS grants SAS Spring 2013 Flintknapping Workshop Congratulations to BHAP team member Dr. Hajimi Ishida and colleagues on their new publication March Dr. Anson Mackay participates in the 9th International Baikal Ice Running Marathon Percussionists "Ethnobeat" from Irkutsk province play on frozen water of Lake Baikal Dr. Mark Hudson new publications and lectures Dr. Andrea Waters-Rist's case-study published in Dental Anthropology April Drs Robert Losey and Tatiana Nomokonova hang out with seals and seal hunters on Lake Baikal Dr. Tetsuya Amano gives seminar at University of Alberta on Kafukai Site BHAP Special Issue of Quaternary International is now published online. Veronika Simonova passes her viva Dr. Andrzej Weber awarded the University of Alberta Faculty of Arts Research Award at the Full Professor level! Dr. Robert Losey awarded the University of Alberta Faculty of Arts Research Award at the Associate Professor level Dr. Hugh McKenzie awarded the 2013 MacEwan Excellence in Information Education Award Dr. Daniel Temple presents at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the AAPAs in Knoxville, Tennessee April 9-13, 2013 Dr. Christopher Ramsey presents at 7th International Symposium on 14C and Archaeology at Ghent BHAP presents at the SAAs April 3-7, 2013, Honolulu, Hawaii BHAP welcomes Dr. Tetsuya Amano to the University of Alberta Sean Lynch awarded Government of Alberta Master's Student Scholarship May Dr. Robert Losey and BHAP colleagues' book chapter published in "Relational Archaeologies: Humans, Animals, Things" Dr. Robert Losey interview on CBC radio about his research on ancient dog burials in eastern Siberia Dr. Robert Losey et al. new paper on Baikal dogs published Drs Losey, Nomokonova, Waters-Rist, and Kharinskii awarded Gerda Henkel Stiftung Grant June Congratulations to Sean Lynch for passing his Master's Dr. Pavel Tarasov et al. recent article published in Science More SSHRC Success! Congratulations to Nour Moussa and family on the birth of her baby boy, Yousef! July Rebun Fieldwork blog Rebun Fieldwork begins! Congratulations to Erin Jessup, CFI Project Manager for BHAP Dr. Hugh McKenzie awarded Special Projects grant from MacEwan University Dr. Ian Scharlotta et al. paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science "Death by Twins" article in Russian newspaper by Dr. Angela Lieverse, with Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova Dr. Robert Losey's new appointment at University of Alberta and fellowship at the Centre for Advanced Study, Oslo, Norway August Drs. Tatiana Nomokonova and Iuliana Emel'ianova (Irkutsk State Technical University) research in North Baikal BHAP Hosts Archaeological Field School! A Report from Dr. Hugh McKenzie. Cameron Robertson wins 2013 Jack Morgan Award for Technical Excellence Prodigal Son Returns! Oxford meeting of the Core-to-Core programme October Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova et al. paper published in Journal of Ethnobiology First Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project Seminar of the term at University of Alberta November Dr. Andrzej Weber receives Education Abroad Group Award Megan Clarke's summer research activities in Irkutsk, Russia Samantha Purchase's summer research activities in Irkutsk, Russia Benjamin Osipov's summer research activities in Irkutsk, Russia BHAP Field School on Rebun Island, Japan Summer 2014 Upcoming BHAP Grad Seminar November 14, 2013 at University of Alberta BHAP welcomes Mareike Schmidt to the project! December Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova et al. "People and Seals at Siberia's Lake Baikal" published in the Journal of Ethnobiology Annual Workshop "Bridging Eurasia & Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project" Berlin "Beyond Ainu Studies: Changing Academic and Public Perspectives" now published! Dr. Mark Hudson paper published in Documenta Praehistorica 2012 January Congratulations to Dr. Ian Fraser-Shapiro BHAP receives Visiting Scholar Award from Faculty of Science, University of Alberta Dulik et al. paper published in The American Journal of Human Genetics Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova presents at UBC Congratulations to Dr. Vladimir Davydov Dr. Hajime Ishida et al. paper published in Anthropological Science Congratulations to Dr. Peter Hommel Congratulations to Dr. Lindsey Friedman February Early Childhood Education Archaeology Presentations Dr. Dustin White presents talk at Oxford University Dr. Hitoshi Yonenobu and colleagues extract an 18.0m sediment core from Lake Kushu on Rebun Island, Hokkaido Flintknapping Club University of Alberta Dr. Andrea Waters-Rist presents talk to Netherlands Association for Physical Anthropology Dr. Robert Losey presents talk at University of Alberta Dr. Dustin White et al. paper published in the Journal of Asian Earth Sciences March Congratulations to Dr. Kate Faccia on passing her defense Congratulations to Dr. Kate Faccia on receiving a SSHRC Posdoctoral Fellowship Drs. Tatiana Nomokonova and Rob Losey present lecture at the Eastern Trans-Baikal Pedagogical Institute and Laboratory of Archaeology, Chita Russian TV and news article on Irkutsk archaeologists' access to unique technology Irkutsk State Technical University news article on acquisition of 3D scanner New paper in JAA from Drs. Weber and Goriunova about hunter-gatherer migrations, mobility and social relations BHAP Postdoctoral researcher Dr. Nomokonova donates faunal collection to ISTU Dr. Andrzej Weber presents Keynote Address at AAA 39th Annual Conference April New paper by Lieverse, Cooper, and Goriunova published in International Journal of Paleopathology. Dr. Mackay et al. paper published in Quaternary Science Reviews BHAP presentations at the AAPA meetings in Portland, OR, 11-14 April 2012 Dr. Robert Losey et al. paper published in The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People" volumes available for order BHAP International Workshop: 'Early Pottery in Northeast Asia' on March 8-10, 2012, Sakhalin. May Sean Lynch awarded CBAR grant Dr. Ian Scharlotta paper presented at International Symposium on Archaeometry, Leuven, Belgium Ben Shepard article published in Journal of Anthropological Archaeology June The Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project was in the news in Japan last summer! Dr. Pavel Tarasov et al. paper published in Science Express Dr. Mark Hudson et al. paper published in WIREs Climate Change Welcome and congratulations to new BHAP Master's students Megan Clarke and Samantha Purchase from University of Saskatchewan Dr. Lindsey Friedman presents talk at the Society for East Asian Archaeology (SEAA) conference Special issue of Quaternary International, provisionally titled 'The Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project: Environmental Archives, Proxies and Reconstruction Approaches' has been initiated July Congratulations to Dr. Robert Losey on being awarded the University of Alberta’s Martha Cook Piper Research Prize! Congratulations to Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova on receiving a SSHRC Insight Development Grant! Welcome new BHAP undergraduate student Elizabeth Hardy from UCLA BHAP C14 and Stable Isotopes Workshops held in Oxford July 16th-18th, 2012. Dr. Andrea Waters-Rist presents at annual Netherlands Barge forum Dr. Ian Scharlotta dissertation "Geochemical Analysis of Human Mobility" published at MoreBooks! August Congratulations to Nour Moussa on receiving Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship Congratulations to Dr. Pavel Tarasov on being awarded the academic title of Full Professor from the Freie Universität Berlin The Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project in the local news in Wakkanai Japan this summer October Hot off the press: Volume 6 of the Baikal Archaeology Project’s Northern Hunter- Gatherers Series has been published Drs. Stock and Pinhasi's (eds) book "Human Bioarchaeology of the Transition to Agriculture" with contributions by BHAP team members Drs. Lieverse, Schulting, and Temple, receives stellar review in American Journal of Physical Anthropology Dr. Hendrik Poiner meets BHAP team and presents lecture "Molecular Epidemiology of the Black Death" Congratulations to BHAP team members' new article in "Science" Thank you to Karl Anvik, former BAP Director of Research Computing November BHAP team members participate in two-day training session for the newly bought lake sediment coring equipment at Mondsee, Austria, 13-16 November, 2012 Dr. Robert Losey invited speaker and discussant at 27th International Abashiri Symposium at the Museum of Northern Peoples, Abashiri, Japan A. Weber and P. Jordan organize session at EAA annual meeting in Pilsen, Czech Republic, 4-8 Sep. 2013 on "Comparative Perspectives on Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology of Northeast Eurasia" More exciting news! Hot off the press: Russian Volume Kurma XI Monograph has been published Field School Summer 2013 December Archaeological Field School (Grant MacEwan University) receives CAGFIL student funding Conference "The Phenomenon of Geoarcheology Layers of the Baikal Siberia (100 years of the Baikal Scientific Archaeology)" was held December 6-7 in Irkutsk (Russia) Welcome new BHAP Ph.D. student Ben Osipov BHAP welcomes Erin Jessup, CFI Project Manager BHAP team members presents papers at Chacmool and CAPA 2011 January New Peter Jordan book features chapters by BAP team March Congratulations Alison Great Review of BAP Book May Petr Kurzybov passes Master's Fieldwork Opportunity New Publication Congratulations Tanya! New BAP Publication BAP Sighting June Ancient Dogs July "Tracing the History of Northern Peoples from Rebun" press article Nour Moussa BHAP PhD Student receives Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship August BAP translation on Evenki economy nominated for scholarly book prize BHAP's Turov edition awarded $12,000 CAD subsidy from CFHSS September Clearwater Media wins Gemini Awards for Code Breakers documentary October Lieverse and Antonova present at CAPA Dr. Robert Losey November Drs. Hajime Ishida and Minoru Yoneda paper published in Anthropological Science Dr. Andrzej Weber et al. paper published in JAA Hands-on, 2-day XRF Workshop hosted by BHAP U of Alberta Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project's new web site launched Congratulations Nastya Dr. Andrea Waters-Rist et al. paper published in AJPA Bridging Eurasia Research Inititative 3rd International Workshop Congratulations to Dr. Waters-Rist December Dr. Hirofumi Kato presents lecture on the Rebun project at University of Oxford Dr. Kato and his students visit Oxford University Nour Moussa passes candidacy exam Congratulations to Dr. Veronika Simonova

Irkutsk State Technical University news article on acquisition of 3D scanner

March 20, 2012

The Irkutsk State Technical University (ISTU) recently ran a news article on the acquisition of a 3D scanner donated by BHAP to their newly created archaeology laboratory. This piece of equipment is unique in Siberia and will enable scientists in Irkutsk to render precise images of artifacts and to share these images with colleagues worldwide. The 3D scanner is housed at ISTU in their newly created laboratory. Completion of the laboratory is planned for mid-2013 with more equipment, such as a digital microscope, still to be added.

The article states that Dr. Robert Losey, University of Alberta (UofA), has brought the high-tech equipment to ISTU in order to better facilitate joint research and academic publications between scholars and students at both universities, as well as other scholars worldwide. Dr. Losey has been doing zooarchaeological research on ancient dogs and wolves in Siberia for the past 8 years, and plans to continue working with ISTU scholars to further this research.

Joint research between ISTU and UofA began in 2007 under the Baikal Archaeology Project directed by Dr. Andrzej Weber, University of Alberta. Middle Holocene hunter-gatherers and fishers of the Cis-Baikal region were the main focus of research. Since 2011 the project, now known as Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project, expanded its research area into the Russian Far East and Japan, with plans to compare the two regions.

News article here.