ARC Cultural Heritage Workshop on Photogrammetry

J. Cameron Monroe
Anthropology
UC Santa Cruz

Maria Prieto
Hispanic Studies
UC Riverside

Elaine Sullivan
History
UC Santa Cruz

Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, Museum Studies and related fields are increasingly turning to new digital technologies to assist in the process of collecting, analyzing, and presenting cultural heritage data. In the past few years, a new cost-effective technology has entered the 3D workflow called photogrammetry or structure from motion, which generates extremely accurate 3D models of objects, monuments and landscapes using a series of high-resolution photographs taken using inexpensive DSLR cameras. This technology, and the necessary software for processing the huge data meshes produced, is now inexpensive and simple enough for scholars to use and learn themselves. We held a week-long training workshop for UC graduate students in photogrammetry hosted at UC Santa Cruz by the Archaeological Research Center (ARC). We see hands-on training for graduate students in this critical new technology as transformative, both preparing students to use this technology in their own dissertation research, but also giving students a competitive advantage in future careers.