Name: Heather Richards-Rissetto
Program: Anthropology
Specialization: Archaeology, Digital Humanities
Courses you are teaching this year:
ANTH/ETHN/LAMS 237- Ancient Mesoamerica
ANTH 386/886- Digital Heritage Tools
What is your favorite course to teach and why?
My favorite course to teach is Digital Heritage Tools. In this course, I have the opportunity to engage with undergrads and grad students from a wide range of disciplines including Anthropology, English, History, Geography, Art History, Computer Science, and more. Students are exposed to experiment with a smorgasbord of web-based technologies applications for digital heritage through readings, discussions, and lab assignments. Each student carries out a semester digital project focused on a range of heritage themes such as sports, toys, ancient cultures, literary authors, etc. It is so wonderful to be able to interact with their final products and make them available to a wider public. But most of all, I learn so much about the world from my students!
How and/or why did you choose this field?
I chose anthropology and specifically archaeology after I spend a semester abroad in Merida, Mexico where I took courses on Maya Ethnography, Maya Archaeology, and Tropical Ecology. While these courses were integral to developing my interests, the biggest impact was being able to hop a bus and travel to various ancient Maya sites. I was able to experience so many places, peoples, and ideas that continue to drive my passion for archaeology.
What are you currently researching?
I employ Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and 3D visualization to investigate how the accessibility and visibility of architecture communicated information and structured social experience in past societies. Her interests also center on Virtual Reality to investigate potential research applications of gesture-based and immersive technologies such as Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest. Currently, I am co-directing a National Endowment for the Humanities funded Project on "Revitalizing MayaArch3D", which is revitalizing and enhancing the 3D WebGIS component of the MayaArch3D Project, which integrates 3D models of cities, terrain, and objects with associated, geo-referenced data for humanities scholarship. I am also co-directing the "Machine Learning for Automated Detection of Ancient Maya Archaeological Sites in Lidar Data" sponsored by a Future Directions Layman Award from UNL.
Additionally, I am the director of the MayaCityBuilder Project that is creating a procedural modeling kit and repository that stores a digital lexicon of 2D and 3D data for ancient Maya architecture and plants to allow users to create 3D visualizations in georeferenced cityscapes. Finally, I am co-director on the Proyecto De Rescate De Rosalila: 3D Scanning for which we are using 3D terrestrial laser scanning to acquire data to assist in the documentation and conservation efforts of a rare ancient Maya temple at Copan, Honduras.
What are some ways students can be involved in your research?
I have had several UCARE students, Undergrad Honor Theses, and Graduate Students involved in a wide variety of digital projects focused on Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Database Analytics, 3D Visualization, 3D Modeling and GIS focused on the ancient Maya and the Historic UNL Campus.
Why should students major in your field?
Digital Archaeology along with Digital Humanities offers students a wide range of versatile experiences in the classroom and beyond. You will develop skills not only in emerging digital technologies such as digital mapping and 3D modeling but importantly develop skills in critical thinking, project management, and collaborative research as well as an appreciation for cultural diversity. Basically, students will develop skills and have experiences to be highly marketable in a diverse and quickly changing world.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work (hobbies, other interests)? :
I enjoy hiking and exploring new places.