LIEN Lauren

Biographie

Lauren Lien began studying archaeology as an undergraduate in California in 2014, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a specialization in Archaeology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She then earned a Master of Arts in Paleoanthropology and Paleolithic Archaeology with distinction from University College London in 2019, with the thesis entitled ¿Traces of the Past: A Morphotechnical and Traceological Analysis of Bladelets from Level N2BW, Buendia (Central Spain)¿. Since 2014, Lauren has participated in several archaeological survey and excavation projects in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain, in contexts ranging from the Lower Paleolithic to the Neolithic in Europe and from the Archaic to the Precolonial in the United States. Between 2020 and 2024, Lauren served as Collections Manager, overseeing the archaeological, historical, and contemporary collections of all museum facilities in the City of Lancaster, California. She joined the University of Liège in January 2025 as a PhD student under the supervision of Dr. Veerle Rots.

Lauren's doctoral research explores the potential of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to advance residue analysis on Palaeolithic stone tools, providing insights into functional analysis that complement traditional morphology and wear studies. By refining FTIR techniques, this project aims to develop a robust methodology for residue identification, seeking to address issues such as contamination and post-depositional alteration, among other challenges. This research will focus on lithic assemblages from Europe and Africa as well as experimental materials, applying FTIR to reconstruct tool use, identify patterns of residue use, composition and degradation, and investigate variations in regional resource exploitation and technologies. Comparative analyses with conventional techniques, such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), will assess the effectiveness of FTIR in detecting organic and inorganic deposits and will generate new standards for the application of FTIR in the interpretation of ancient residues. The results will contribute to methodological advances in archaeological science, improving interpretations of Paleolithic materials, informing conservation practices, and expanding the applicability of FTIR in residue studies.