May 8, 2026
The Graduate Student Paper Award winners from the 2026 Annual Meeting have been chosen. This year, there are two First Prize winners— Emily Lime (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and Caitlin Knortz (Princeton University). They will be honored at the Awards Ceremony in conjunction with the 2027 Annual Meeting.
The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to bestow one of the two First Prizes for the 2026 Graduate Student Paper Award to Emily Lime (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) for her paper, “Artificial Lighting Systems in Post-Earthquake Pompeian Gardens” presented at last year’s Annual Meeting.
“Artificial Lighting Systems in Post-Earthquake Pompeian Gardens” examines enclosed lighting systems in Pompeian houses, engaging case studies and material evidence ranging from the late Republican period to after the earthquake of 62 CE. Lime’s analysis offers new interpretations of the use of garden spaces and, most especially, of the role of lighting within Roman domestic spaces. Supported by excellent images, her research proposes new functions for enclosed lighting systems and will be of interest to any scholar of Vesuvian archaeology or Roman housing.
The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to bestow one of the two First Prizes for the 2026 Graduate Student Paper Award to Caitlin Knortz (Princeton University) for her paper, “Makeshift Marketplaces in the Roman City” presented at last year’s Annual Meeting.
The paper “Makeshift Marketplaces in the Roman City” drew on both archaeological and textual evidence to provide a full evaluation of the role of temporary and ‘pop-up’ markets in the Roman world. Knortz’s paper is an excellent example of diligent study of all sources available to understand the physical world of Rome and was illustrated and presented impeccably. Her work contributes to significant recent scholarship on the world of commerce and commercialism in Rome and provides original insights on a subject that will be of wide interest to students and established scholars alike.
The Graduate Student Paper Award (GSPA) was established to recognize graduate students for their substantial contributions to the success of the Annual Meeting. If you are a graduate student planning to submit a paper for next year’s Annual Meeting, we encourage you to apply. The award is by self-nomination and submissions remain anonymous throughout the award selection process. In order to be eligible, you must check the box labeled “Graduate student paper award” on the Open Session Submission Form that reads, “I am a graduate student and sole author of this paper and wish to be considered for the Graduate Student Paper Award.” If you are presenting as part of a session, you need to remind your session chair to check this box for you when they submit all of the session materials. Only graduate students who have a paper accepted by the Program for the Annual Meeting Committee and have checked the box on the Open Submission Form will be eligible for the award. Click here for more information on how to apply for the Graduate Student Paper Award.
