Big Data and Human Evolution - Making, Using, and Conserving Data, BONES LAB (DBC) and ROCEEH workshop, 27-29 October 2025

This workshop will explore both the theoretical and practical dimensions of creating, using, and preserving large-scale scientific databases in the field of human evolution. Central to the discussion is how digital infrastructures and databases can be effectively developed, utilised, and sustainably maintained, with particular attention to their role in archaeological, paleoanthropological, paleobiological, and paleogeographic research.
Participants will engage with both conceptual frameworks and applied methodologies for data management, focusing on the challenges and opportunities posed by large, interdisciplinary databases. While digital tools are increasingly used across scientific disciplines, critical issues remain regarding data integration, targeted expansion, evaluation, and long-term preservation.
The workshop will also spotlight emerging approaches in data science—such as data mining, machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence—that offer transformative potential for extracting and interpreting complex datasets.