Team

An interdisciplinary team of archaeologists, palaeoecologists, and data scientists collaborating to push the boundaries of historical demography.

Martin Hinz

Project PI

Martin Hinz is the principal investigator of the ESTER project and researcher of Prehistoric Archaeology at Kiel University. His research focuses on computational archaeology, Bayesian modeling, and human-environment interactions in Europe and Western Asia. Martin has led large-scale projects like XRONOS, integrating archaeological and paleoenvironmental data to refine prehistoric population estimates. His work bridges archaeology, paleoecology, and statistical modeling to provide new insights into long-term societal transformations.

Sophie C. Schmidt

Postdoctoral Researcher
(Archaeological Data & Proxy Development)

Sophie Schmidt will focus on the development of archaeological demographic proxies. Her PhD (WIP at Freie Universität Berlin) deals with the 5th mill. BC in Brandenburg (North-Eastern Germany) and the connections to neighbouring regions. She employs statistical hypothesis tests and modeling to analyse interactions, settlement patterns and land use.

N.N.

Postdoctoral Researcher
(Palaeoecology & Environmental Data Integration)

Bringing expertise in palaeoecology, this postdoctoral researcher works on integrating environmental data into ESTER’s population models. Their work involves processing pollen data, sediment records, and climate reconstructions to assess human-environment interactions and long-term ecological trends. They also contribute to developing uncertainty estimates for past population dynamics.

N.N.

Postdoctoral Researcher
(Computational & Statistical Modelling)

This researcher specializes in Bayesian hierarchical modeling and statistical data analysis. They are responsible for refining and implementing the computational framework that underpins ESTER’s population reconstructions. Their work ensures methodological robustness, incorporating multiple proxies and refining regionalized models to enhance accuracy and reproducibility.

N.N.

PhD Researcher
(European Population Trends & Innovation Dynamics)

The PhD researcher investigates prehistoric population trends in Europe, focusing on the relationship between demographic changes and technological innovations. Their work examines key transitions such as the introduction of secondary animal products and the impact of crises on population resilience. They will also contribute to methodological advancements in integrating archaeological and paleoecological datasets.

Advisory Board

• Michael Barton, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
• Andrew Bevan, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
• Enrico R. Crema, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
• Jennifer C. French, Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool
• Kristian Kristiansen, Department of Historical Studies, University of Gothenburg
• Felix Riede, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University
• Alessio Palmisano, Department of Historical Studies, University of Turin
• Marko Porčić, Department of Archaeology, University of Belgrade
• Isabell Schmidt, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, Cologne University
• Stephen Shennan, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
• Michael E. Smith, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
• Bernie Weninger, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, Cologne University

Header Image: Photo by Tobias Mrzyk at Unsplash