Two institute members of staff have been awarded the title of associate professor by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to teaching, research and leadership within their respective fields.
Antonia Thomas, Associate Professor of Art and Archaeology, is a lecturer and interdisciplinary researcher with a strong international profile in applied research, teaching, and knowledge exchange. She leads the MA Contemporary Art and Archaeology, an innovative programme she developed and launched in 2020, and which attracts students from around the world.
Her research spans two connected areas: mark-making in archaeological contexts (including rock art and graffiti), and the relationship between archaeology and contemporary art practice. Her work ranges from Neolithic studies, such as analysis of incised stones from the Ness of Brodgar to contemporary projects like TRANSECTS, which explores how creative and archaeological approaches can inform understanding of marine energy transitions in Orkney, north-east Scotland, and the Humber.
In 2025, Antonia was named “Most Inspiring Lecturer” at the Highlands and Islands Students’ Association (HISA) awards.
She said: “I’m so happy to have my research and teaching recognised in this way. Becoming Associate Professor of Art and Archaeology is the start of an exciting new chapter in my academic career, and I am proud to be doing this as part of the UHI team.”
Jen Harland, Associate Professor of Environmental Archaeology, is a zooarchaeologist specialising in historical marine ecology, focusing on the study of fish, marine mammals, and molluscs from archaeological contexts. Her research explores how people have used marine resources over time, for food, tools, and ornamentation, and how these practices have evolved across millennia, with a particular emphasis on Scotland.
Alongside traditional analysis of physical remains, she collaborates with specialists to apply biomolecular techniques, unlocking new insights from bones and shells recovered during excavations.
Jen is a co-investigator on LIFTE: Looking in From the Edge, a project investigating archaeological and historical evidence for trade between the Northern Isles and continental Europe during the early modern period. Her current project, TRANSECTS, adopts a multidisciplinary approach to study marine energy transitions, including the historical and ongoing significance of whaling and whale products in Scotland.
Jen said: “I am pleased to be awarded the title of Associate Professor. This is in large part due to networks of colleagues and specialists within archaeology and associated disciplines; by working together and sharing materials and methods we can learn more from the past.”
