Research Project
NigerHeritage: Novel Solutions for Ancient and Historical Heritage
Project Team:
Project Summary
An international group of scientists, social scientists, architects, and planners developed proposals for the design and function of three sites in Niger—a museum, a cultural center for nomadic peoples, and a fossil field site. |
The NigerHeritage project involved rethinking the design and function of two cultural facilities and one paleontological site—a museum, a cultural center for nomadic peoples, and a fossil field site—for preservation of Niger’s paleontological, archaeological, and cultural heritage. Research, discussion, and forums held in the U.S. and Niger—involving scientists, social scientists, architects, planners, and the public—aimed to forge consensus plans for these cultural initiatives, the ultimate goals of which include long-term preservation and celebration of unique cultural heritage, engagement of surrounding communities, and novel architectural solutions that are sustainable and environmentally sensitive.
Research Team
Ralph Austen
Ralph Austen
Professor Emeritus of African History, African Studies, and the College
University of Chicago
Ralph A. Austen's current research (and limited teaching) focuses on the political economy and cultural dimensions of European overseas expansion (including autobiographical writings by "colonial subjects") and African literature.
To learn more about Ralph A. Austen's research and...
Lauren Conroy
Lauren Conroy
Researcher, Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy
University of Chicago
Lauren Conroy oversees research projects at the University of Chicago Fossil Lab.
Paul Sereno
Paul Sereno
Professor, Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy and Committee on Evolutionary Biology
University of Chicago
Paul Sereno, a professor at the University of Chicago and Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, works with students, technicians and artists in his Fossil Lab to bring to life fossils unearthed from sites around the world. Sereno’s field work began in the foothills of the...