Shadreck Chirikure
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Shadreck Chirikure is Edward Hall Professor of Archaeological Science, Director Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art and British Academy Global Professor in the School of Archaeology, University of Oxford. He holds a British Academy Global Professorship. Chirikure graduated with an MA in Artefact Studies (2002) and a PhD in Archaeology (2005) from University College London. In his research, Chirikure applies techniques from the natural and social sciences to study ancient materials and technologies to derive innovations with potential use in the present. Africa’s technological future requires foundations built on its past. Chirikure uses the results of discoveries in the field and the laboratory to develop new understanding, conserve heritage and tackle global challenges in STEM-related fields. As an entrepreneur, he combines experience as a researcher on past, present and future technology and heritage manager to establish start-ups that create opportunities for graduates and ghetto entrepreneurs. He is a recipient of several prestigious awards, a Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Chirikure is the author of Metals in Past Societies (Springer, 2015) and Great Zimbabwe: Reclaiming a Confiscated Past (Routledge, 2020).
Pronouns: he/him