Rhodora Vennarucci, assistant professor of classical studies, has been invited to join the Archaeological Institute of America's 128th National Lecture Program, a signature program that is over 100 years old and a central part of the institute's mission of informing people about archaeology.

The selection process is competitive: Vennarucci was chosen from among several hundred nominees and joins a list of outstanding scholars in her field. Over the course of the academic year, Vennarucci will visit local AIA societies to share her research, which focuses broadly on the socio-economic history of the Roman world from both ends of the distributive system: rural production and urban commercial landscapes, and integrates virtual technologies.

"I was honored to have been nominated by my colleague Dr. Kathleen Coleman (the James Loeb Professor of the Classics, Harvard University) last spring, and I am elated now to learn that I have been chosen," Vennarucci said. "It is an incredible distinction for a North American archaeologist."

As part of its mission, the AIA promotes "public understanding of the material record of the past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity." Vennarucci agrees that public facing communication is vital to her field, and much of her research and teaching center on expanding access to the ancient world through digital methods and digital skills training.

For instance, the Virtual Roman Retail project that she co-directs with U of A alumnus Will Loder (3D designer) is developing a VR application with interactive scenes of ancient Roman shops at Pompeii and Ostia that will be free to download from the Meta Store. Last spring the project worked with U of A undergraduate students to launch "Shop 'Til You Drop," an ancient retail history podcast available on Spotify.

Vennarucci said that she sees her participation in the program as a wonderful opportunity to share her research with diverse audiences through AIA's local societies and to demonstrate her commitment to public outreach.