Dr Nicole Boivin
Academic Background
Dr Boivin completed a BSc in Molecular Biology at the University of Calgary in 1992. She subsequently studied at the University of Cambridge, receiving an MPhil in Archaeology in 1996, and a PhD in Archaeology in 2001. She was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cognitive Archaeology at the University of Cambridge (2002-2004), and a Fyssen Foundation Fellowship which she held at the University of Paris (2005). She subsequently returned to Cambridge as a Research Fellow, moving to Oxford University to take up a Senior Research Fellowship in 2008. She was awarded the Ben Cullen Prize in 2004, and was recently awarded a Starting Grant of €1.2 million by the European Research Council.
Undergraduate Teaching
Prehistoric and Asian Archaeology, Archaeological Theory, Archaeological Science.
Postgraduate Teaching
Asian and Indian Ocean Archaeology, Archaeological Genetics.
Research Interests
I have worked in India for many years, studying in particular its prehistoric past. This research led to an interest in India’s early connections with other continents, which has drawn me into new excavation projects in other parts of the Indian Ocean, including Sri Lanka and East Africa. My current project is exploring the flow of goods, ideas, species and people around the Indian Ocean, and helping to demonstrate the high degrees of interconnectivity that preceded the Roman entrance into this sphere.
I enjoy engaging with both humanities and science approaches, and take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of the past that draws not only upon archaeology, but also the methods and theories of anthropology, molecular genetics, linguistics and other disciplines. My work addresses a diverse array of topics, from ritual and symbolism, to aspects of evolution and human dispersals out of Africa.
Other Interests
Dr Boivin is married and has a daughter. Aside from archaeology, she enjoys reading, travelling, hiking, swimming and exploring the British countryside.
Links
See also the School of Archaeology website and Dr Boivin's personal web page.
