ARTEMIS Mentorship Programme coming to MPI of Geoanthropology

Dr. Lucy Timbrell of the Human Palaeosystems group and Yosef Dosha of Addis Ababa University have been accepted as a mentor/mentee pair in the ARTEMIS programme of the Max Planck Society

The ARTEMIS (AFRICAN RESEARCH TALENTS EXPERIENCING MENTORING IN SCIENCE) programme of the Max Planck Society supports scientific exchange between graduates or doctoral candidates at African universities and mentors from MPIs.  With the support of mentors, mentees are given the opportunity to shape their career path through international networking and gain knowledge through experiences that enhance their personal and professional skills.

This year, Dr. Lucy Timbrell of the Human Palaeosystems research group at MPI GEA and Yosef Dosha of Addis Ababa University are one of 25 Mentor/Mentee pairs accepted into the ARTEMIS program. Both researchers of the African Middle Stone Age, the period associated with the evolution and earliest prehistory of our species, Timbrell will be supporting Dosha in his analysis of stone tools from Omo Kibish, an important site in southwestern Ethiopia where some of the earliest Homo sapiens fossils have been discovered, and in contextualizing the findings within the broader region of eastern Africa.

The mentorship experience will culminate in a one-month research stay for Dosha at MPI GEA in Jena in October of 2025, during which they will work together on this project. There will also be networking opportunities for Dosha with other researchers at the institute and beyond, as well as an ARTEMIS workshop in Heidelberg with other program participants that they will both attend.

Ultimately, the goal of the ARTEMIS programme is for both partners to learn from each other. “I’m really excited to be participating in ARTEMIS. This is a great opportunity for Yosef to gain international research experience and support his development as the next generation of African archaeologists, and I am looking forward to gaining new perspectives from him and developing my mentoring skills,” says Timbrell.

“I am thrilled about the ARTEMIS Mentorship Programme being offered at MPI GEA! This opportunity excites me not only because of the chance to deepen my knowledge and experience in Middle Stone Age archaeology in Eastern Africa, but also because it allows me to connect with esteemed professionals in the scientific community. I look forward to collaborating with my mentor and engaging with fellow participants, as I believe these interactions will significantly enhance my research and broaden my network in our field. This programme represents a significant step in my academic journey, and I am eager to contribute and learn from all involved!” says Dosha.