Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology’s 2024 Transylvanian Laboratory Project will run from 6 July 2024 to 3 August 2024 at the Muzeul Județean de Istorie și Arheologie Maramureș, Baia Mare. Program fees will be 2495 USD and will cover the cost of research materials, field and laboratory manuals, lectures delivered by research staff and guest speakers, and four weeks accommodation in local hotels. Program fees do not include roundtrip airfare to/from Romania, daily meals, or transportation to/from the airport, which can be purchased separately.

Participants may purchase a seat on Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology's private bus to/from Cluj Napoca Airport for an additional 100 USD each way (200 USD round trip). Alternatively, participants may choose to make their own way to Baia Mare via train or bus but please note that we do not recommend this!

Yes and no. Local day trips to museums and sites of interest in Baia Mare are included in the program fee but we also offer an optional 3 day field trip to Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary and Bran Castle, otherwise known as “Dracula’s Castle”, in Brasov. This optional trip will add 300 USD to the total program fee. For more information about the optional excursion to Bran Castle, please join us on our upcoming info session.

Participants will be lodged in hotels in the Old Center, within easy walking distance of the museum. There are pharmacies and markets in the area, as well as some of the best restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs in the city. Dining out is extremely affordable, with restaurant meals costing between 5 and 10 USD. Additional sites of interest in Baia Mare, such as the shopping mall or movie theater, will require taking a cab or bus, both of which are extremely safe and affordable. Please note that wireless internet will most likely be available in your hotel but is not available in the museum! We recommend that participants with unlocked, global phones purchase local SIM cards (Vodafone or Orange) in Baia Mare, which come preloaded with 5 or 10 GBs of data and can be reloaded online, in person, or via app. Data caps are extremely high in Romania and you should anticipate being able to buy 100 GBs for around 6 Euro.

Yes! While Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology’s 2024 Transylvanian Laboratory Project is a teaching and learning experience, we welcome adult participants from all walks of life. Our only requirements are that you be 18 and older, and that you have a keen interest in bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology, and laboratory methods. You must also be prepared to experience the kind of things you don’t see on CSI or Indiana Jones! You will get plenty of experience working with well-preserved skeletons but you will also be working with fragmentary remains that have not been touched since excavation. The work will sometimes be challenging, dirty, and time-consuming so come prepared!

At the moment, Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology’s 2024 Transylvanian Laboratory Project is not able to offer academic credit directly through our program. BUT! Most students will be able to enroll in Independent Studies or Special Project courses through their home universities. We are happy to supervise you this summer in formulating research questions, identifying what data to collect, and learning how to apply those data to individual research projects. Reach out to your professors and put us in touch with them to make sure that you have an opportunity to earn academic credit for the work you do with us!

Participants in Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology’s 2024 Transylvanian Laboratory Project will receive graduate-level training in Bioarchaeological, Forensic, and Archaeological theory and methods, including new and innovative multidisciplinary research frameworks that are rarely taught in other field learning programs. Learning modules will include:

In addition, participants will have the opportunity to conduct their own focused research projects and present their findings in a formal academic conference at the Muzeul Județean de Istorie și Arheologie in Baia Mare. These projects can potentially be applied towards Independent Studies at participants’ host universities, or can serve as case studies for theories or methods that students may wish to develop greater expertise in, in advance of their applications to graduate school.

Absolutely not! Academic interest and curiosity are the most important elements of your application. Regardless of what prior knowledge or experience you may have, at the end of our Rivulus Dominarum Bioarchaeology’s 2024 Transylvanian Laboratory Project everyone will have gained hands-on experience in the following skills and methods:

Applications are open, so create your profile and apply now! Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants will receive email updates about next steps and deadlines. You will also have access to restricted areas of the site, including discussion forums and applicant-only blog posts.

Keep an eye on your registered user page. After acceptance decisions have been made, this section of our site will become your Participant Portal, which you will use to access packing lists, field guides, and shared readings that will prepare you for your summer in Baia Mare.