IPHES-CERCA and URV organize the first Congress on Palaeoecology and Cultural Evolution Studies (CEPEC25), led by young researchers
Tarragona will host, from October 22 to 24, this new scientific meeting dedicated to research in prehistoric archaeology, palaeoecology and cultural evolution
Between October 22 and 24, the Congress on Palaeoecology and Cultural Evolution Studies (CEPEC25) will be held in Tarragona. This initiative is promoted by students and early-career researchers linked to the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). The congress aims to foster interdisciplinary debate, create collaborative networks, and give visibility to emerging research projects in the fields of prehistoric and palaeoecological studies.
CEPEC25 stands out for being a congress conceived, organized and coordinated entirely by students, making it a pioneering experience within the humanities and social sciences. The event seeks to give voice to young researchers and provide them with a dedicated space for reflection and academic development in the early stages of their scientific careers.
The congress will be held mainly at the IPHES-CERCA headquarters (W3 Building, Campus Sescelades URV), with complementary activities at the ICAC (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology) and at Can Peret (Plaça de la Font, Tarragona). Over three days, the programme will combine scientific sessions, oral presentations and poster sessions, along with complementary activities designed to encourage debate and training.
One of CEPEC25’s distinctive features is its transversal approach, which promotes connections between areas of study that are often treated separately. The thematic sessions will seek to establish links between disciplines such as biomarkers and archaeobotany, paleoanthropology and primatology, experimental archaeology and taphonomy, faunal analysis and lithic studies, or geoarchaeology and spatial analysis. This interdisciplinary perspective reflects the congress’s goal of promoting integrated and collaborative research within the human sciences.
Among the highlighted activities, the programme also includes two training workshops, focused respectively on career pathways and professional opportunities in academia, and on adapting academic curricula to current and future research contexts. In addition, a roundtable discussion will address the challenges of the early stages of a research career, and a “Pint of Science” event will bring scientific outreach to informal spaces around the city.
The congress will open with an inaugural lecture by Francesc Gascó Lluna, known as Pakozoico, a palaeontologist and science communicator with a strong presence in social media and the media landscape. His talk will highlight the importance of science communication as an essential tool for the training of new researchers, and the need to build bridges between academia and society.
The organizing committee includes Saray Pascual-Moliner, Alba Vidal-Soliño, Paulo Duñó-Iglesias, Albert López-Bonet, Joel López-Parés, Mar Repiso-Anoro, David Rodríguez de la Fuente, and Miguel Subires-Mérida.
The scientific committee is composed of Carlos Lorenzo (URV/IPHES-CERCA), Marta Arzarello (UNIFE), Hugo Gomes (IPT), Hermine Xhauflair (UPD), Isabel Expósito (IPHES-CERCA/URV), Isabel Cáceres (URV/IPHES-CERCA), Lucía López-Polín (IPHES-CERCA/URV), Florent Rivals (IPHES-CERCA/URV), Manuel Vaquero (IPHES-CERCA/URV) and David Riba Cano (Fundació Mona – UdG).
Under the motto “Breaking Barriers: Interdisciplinarity in Prehistoric Archaeology from the Beginning of the Scientific Career”, CEPEC25 highlights interdisciplinarity as a key tool for scientific and personal progress, as well as the need to create spaces for collaboration between disciplines, methodologies and theoretical frameworks.
For more information and registration: https://congressos.urv.cat/cepec25/en
Contact: cepec.congreso@gmail.com