Integrating Fieldwork into 3.094/1.057: Materials In Human Experience

The purpose of this project is to provide MIT undergraduates an interdisciplinary, hands-on introduction to the use of materials in arts, archaeology, and architecture, using the Roman Empire, and specifically Pompeii, as a model for ancient engineering and the history of materials processing. This will be achieved through the integration of the classroom and laboratory experience of 3.094/1.057 “Materials in Human Experience” with two to three weeks of field work at Pompeii laboratories. The funds requested through this proposal will be sued for salary, materials, and equipment necessary for the redesign of the 3.094 laboratory curriculum, to better prepare students for their experience in the field.