NE North Dakota News

Minot State University will host a three-day archaeology conference, "Discoveries Set in Stone," from May 1 to May 3. The event will feature Egyptologist and Minot native Mark Lehner, who will deliver the final presentation on May 3. Lehner's lecture, titled “Prairie to the Pyramids: Lost City of the Giza Pyramids,” is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.

The conference is organized by the MSU Geology Club A.U.G.I.T.E. as part of the Midcontinent Institute Geology and Geography Lecture Program. Nikita Neyshtadt, president of MSU A.U.G.I.T.E., expressed excitement about opening these lectures to the public to encourage interest in scientific advancements.

The event begins on May 1 with a talk by Minot State professor Amanda Watts titled “War Zone Archaeology in Afghanistan: Saving Buddhas from the Taliban.” On May 2, Roberta Marzianni will present “New Frontiers in Heritage Recording: Bath Abbey and Fairey Barracuda — from photogrammetry to Virtual Reality."

Joseph Collette, MSU associate professor of geology, highlighted the significance of hosting such world-class archaeologists in Minot and acknowledged donor support for making this possible.

Lehner is known for his work with Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) and has been featured in prominent publications like National Geographic and documentaries by BBC and NOVA. He last lectured in Minot in 2019.

Watts has extensive field experience across various countries and focuses her research on ethical challenges related to interpreting cultural heritage. Marzianni specializes in geomatics projects involving topographic surveys and 3D modeling.

Minot State University remains committed to excellence through rigorous academic experiences and community engagement.