Meet the 2026 ISA Grant Winners
Melissa BARRANTES-MADRIGAL
Costa Rica
Melissa Barrantes-Madrigal is a Costa Rican researcher at the University of Costa Rica. Specialising in the conservation of cultural heritage, she will present pioneering research at ISA 2026 on the use of lazulite in pre-Columbian Costa Rica. Her work aims to strengthen archaeometry in Central America—where it is still an emerging field of research—by promoting international collaborations and the use of innovative methodologies.
Angad LAMBA
India
Angad Lamba is a PhD student at IIT Gandhinagar, specialising in South Asian zooarchaeology. His innovative research employes micro-CT scanning for bone remodeling, in order to overcome the limitations posed by poor surface preservation at sites of the Indus Valley Civilization. He is independently developing a diagnostic framework and a reference collection for Bos indicus, addressing the unique logistical and technical challenges within the Indian context.
Piumi MILANGE
Sri Lanka
Piumi Milange is an archaeologist specialised in the study of glass beads in Sri Lanka. She is currently a PhD student at Sichuan University, where her research challenges traditional chronologies regarding indigenous glass production in the Indian Ocean. She has extensive experience in excavations and material analysis across Sri Lanka and China. At ISA 2026, she will present new evidence on glassworking techniques at the Giribawa site.
Malesetla Alice SEPAMO
Lesotho
Malesetla Alice Sepamo is a Master’s student at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Originally from Lesotho, where archaeology is under-resourced and relatively underdeveloped, she has specialised in the study of ochre. Her research at Boomplaas Cave examines the production techniques and symbolic uses of natural pigments in past societies. She will present a poster on this topic at ISA 2026 in session S7 – human-environment interactions. She aims to continue her studies at doctoral level in 2027.
1. Grant Opportunity
for ISA 2026 participants
Number of Grants
Four (4) awards will be made available to selected candidates thanks to a dedicated fundraising campaign launched by the CCR “La Venaria Reale” with the generous support of Fondazione Intesa Sanpaolo (link to project). Additional applications may be funded (fully or partially) with any remaining budget, after supporting the top four applications in the evaluation ranking.
Intended recipients
Eligible candidates are early-career researchers (under 35 years old) at the start of the conference, coming from Africa, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and conflict-affected areas.
Required Documentation
• Proof of acceptance of an oral or poster contribution at ISA2026
• Identity document
• Curriculum Vitae
• Reference letter
• Motivation letter
Selection Criteria
• Origin from one of the eligible regions and compliance with the age limit
• Evaluation of the CV, reference letter, and motivation letter
Deadlines
• Application submission: 15th February 2026
• Notification of results: 15th March 2026
Those who intend to apply for the grant must nevertheless proceed with registration. Instead of the payment receipt, they should upload a declaration indicating their name and the date on which the application was submitted. In this way, if they do not receive the grant, they will still have the opportunity to register using the “early bird” fee, which is available for registrations completed by February 15.
This program is made possible through a dedicated fundraising initiative promoted by the CCR “La Venaria Reale” with the support of Fondazione Intesa Sanpaolo. We warmly invite the ISA community to join this effort: every contribution helps us ensure broader participation and a richer, more globally representative dialogue in archaeometry.
2. Grant Opportunity
Divisione di Chimica dell'Ambiente e dei Beni Culturali della Società Chimica Italiana (SCI)
The Division of Environmental and Cultural Heritage Chemistry of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI) announces the availability of a €500 grant to support the participation of young researchers in ISA 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Be members of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI) in good standing for the year 2026, with formal affiliation to the Division of Environmental and Cultural Heritage Chemistry (ABC Division).
• Be under 35 years of age on 18th May 2026, the opening date of ISA 2026.
Application Procedure
Applications may be submitted only after receipt of the contribution acceptance notice. Completed applications must be sent by 30th January 2026 (11:59 PM CET) via email to info@isa2026torino.it, with the subject line: “Application – SCI-ABC Participation Grant”.
Each application must include a single PDF document containing the following information: