Postdoctoral Researcher, Senegal
Adama is a postdoctoral assistant and technician in the archaeology laboratory at IFAN-University Cheikh Antar Diop University of Dakar (UCAD).
He combines his work at IFAN with his studies at ARVIC, the doctoral school of art and civilisation. His work on Iron Age sites explores the archaeology of settlements found between the Ferlo and the River valley, two regions in the northern part of Senegal. His research, focused on ceramic and metallurgical techniques, seeks to provide substantial knowledge on protohistoric populations whose history is still poorly understood.
After completing archaeological training at UCAD, Adama widened his professional experience through a number of internships with national and international research teams. This passion for heritage led him, after his master’s degree, to work at the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art where he held the post of curator for two years.
After his master’s degree, Adama was eager to pursue doctoral research and returned to UCAD at the same time as he was assigned to the archaeology laboratory of IFAN, where he assists researchers and manages archaeological collections – a role that has allowed him to explore different archaeological landscapes. Adama’s training in scuba diving also enabled him to take part in surveys off Gorée as well as international internships.
I have been heavily involved in the organisation of archaeological data in Senegal and understood the importance of geomatics from early on, which led me to take training in this direction. I see the MAEASaM programme as a real opportunity to update the archaeological map of Senegal and hope that in my role as a research associate I can contribute to this alongside my geographer colleagues.
Beyond his work and his studies, Adama enjoys sports, especially running and swimming.