SBR Research Fund
The Society of Bead Researchers is pleased to announce the initiation of the SBR Research Fund. It is intended to financially assist those conducting bead-related research so that they may successfully complete their projects. The amount available is up to $1,000.00 and intended to cover such items as archaeometric analysis, transportation expenses, and the purchase or rental of necessary equipment.
The fund is available to all who are involved in the serious study of beads and beadwork. Applications may be submitted at any time to Karlis Karklins (karlis4444@gmail.com), Chair of the Award’s Committee. Each application will be assessed on its merits shortly after receipt and funds awarded accordingly. Applicants must be members in good standing of the Society for Bead Researchers (https://beadresearch.org/membership).
Your application must include the following:
1) Project title.
2) Your name and affiliation.
3) The amount requested.
4) A description of the project and how it expands our knowledge of beads and their role in society.
5) The purpose for which the requested funds are required.
6) Your CV, including contact information.
7) The names and contact information of three references.
Once the project is completed, the applicant will need to submit a copy of the final report to the Awards Committee detailing project activities and outcomes, as well as a project synopsis for the SBR’s newsletter within one year of receiving funds. This deadline may be extended if project work is ongoing with a deadline for report submission to be mutually agreed upon.
Applicants may apply for multiple rounds of funding, but must have submitted their final report and project synopsis from their previous project(s) prior to submitting an application for a new or continuing project.
Award Winners
Nina Schreuder, a Ph.D. candidate in Archaeology at the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, University of Groningen, is our first research fund recipient. Her research focuses on early medieval glass beads (ca. 450-900 CE) from the southern North Sea region, particularly the northern Netherlands and Lower Saxony. Using portable XRF analysis, she investigates the chemical composition of glass beads to study production, exchange networks, and the circulation of raw materials. With financial support from the Society of Bead Researchers, she is analyzing Anglo-Saxon glass beads from Little Wilbraham (Cambridgeshire) in collaboration with the McDonald Institute and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, exploring connections between insular and continental bead assemblages.