UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA – MINNEAPOLIS, MN
The Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies (CNES) at the University of Minnesota, in association with the School of Physics and Astronomy (University of Minnesota) and the Oxyrhynchus Papyri Project (Oxford University) seeks a post-doctoral fellow in papyrology for one year. The successful candidate, who will be based in Minnesota, will work with an international team using online tools to engage a distributed volunteer community of "citizen papyrologists" in transcribing a large number of papyrus texts written in ancient Greek.
The collections of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri project (www.papyrology.ox.ac.uk) are a rich resource. Previous work to transcribe them en masse relied on image processing techniques that were unable to recover reliable Greek text. The problem faced in classifying and transcribing large numbers of the papyri is one of pattern recognition, a task to which the human brain is well suited. By using a flexible web-based interface, the job of transcribing is shared not only with a small number of scholars, but also with a force of volunteers spread around the globe. The web interface developed at Oxford and hosted through the Zooniverse citizen science portal (http://www.zooniverse.org) launched in July 2011. Since then 120,000 users have transcribed over 5 million characters. The Minnesota post-doctoral fellow will be joining a small team working to ensure that data produced by volunteer transcribers is useful to papyrological scholars.
This is a one-year, grant-funded, full-time appointment beginning August 31, 2012.
The post-doctoral fellow will play a pivotal role in managing the citizen science project, interpreting the ensuing data, and contributing to graduate education and departmental activities in CNES. Responsibilities will include collaboration with papyrologists (Oxford) and the Zooniverse team (at the University of Minnesota and elsewhere) to support citizen researchers, collate results, and prepare material for publication; collaboration with UMN scientists and computational statisticians ; supervision of graduate research assistants in CNES; teaching one advanced course in CNES
QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates must hold a PhD in Classics, Ancient History or related fields, with a focus on papyrology and must have experience working with papyrological collections in ancient Greek and conducting research using papyrological material. Experience working with digital images, large databases, and Oxyrhynchus material is preferred, but not required.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND APPLICATION:
Please apply online via the Employment System at
On-line applications only will be accepted.
All candidates should submit a letter of application and a curriculum vitae by June 30, 2012.
Applicants should arrange for three letters of reference to be submitted by the application deadline.
Professor Nita Krevans
Classical and near Eastern Studies
University of Minnesota
245 Nicholson Hall
216 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis MN 55455
Applications received by June 30, 2012 will receive full consideration, but the search will remain open until the position is closed or filled.
For further information email:
Nita Krevans
612-625-5353
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