Brown Bag Lecture Series

Sponsored by MSUN's Office of the Provost and organized by the Instruction, Research, & Faculty Development committee, along with the Office of Teaching & Learning Excellence

RSVP

Seating is freely available but RSVPs are appreciated, and a sack lunch will be reserved for those who RSVP. Please complete the RSVP form here. Contact Justin Mason with questions or cancellations. 

Brown Bag Lectures allow faculty across all disciplines at MSU-Northern to showcase their work and to build a sense of community inquiry and interest around that work. Campus and community members are welcome to attend! View our Archive Brown Bag Lecture Series page here. 

Presentations will last about 1 hour and are located in either Hagener Science Center 101 ("The Pit") or Hensler Auditorium (in the Applied Tech Center/ATC). Printable campus map

Upcoming Lectures - Fall 2026

Lecture: What's Burning? Unlocking the Secrets of Post-Assyrian Oil Lamps

When & Where: Friday, October 23, 2026 — 12pm-1pm in Hensler Auditorium, ATC (Applied Tech Center) 

Presenter: Dr. Kyra Kaercher — Assistant Professor of Biology/General Studies

Lecture Summary:

During excavations in Iraqi Kurdistan the Rural Landscapes of Iron Age Imperial Mesopotamia project uncovered multiple soot and bitumen covered oil lamps. These lamps were used as lights in rooms, or as incense burners for releasing a pleasant smell into areas.  The majority of these fragments date to the Post-Assyrian Period (ca. 600-400 CE). Ceramic oil lamps are relatively common in Post-Assyrian levels, yet the fuels that were used in these lamps remain poorly understood. This study employs organic residue analysis to identify the types of oils and aromatics used in these ceramics. By integrating residue chemistry with archaeological context, the research contributes new insights into the daily lives of Post-Assyrian communities and provides a more nuanced understanding of fuel procurement, consumption, and cultural practices in the ancient Near East.

Presenter Bio:

Dr. Kyra Kaercher grew up west of Havre, and graduated from Havre High. From there she received her BA in Archaeology from the University Wisconsin-La Crosse. She then reveived her MA in Archaeology from Boston University and worked at the UPenn Museum on the Ur Digitization Project as a research assistant and on the ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives monitoring destruction to cultural heritage due to the Syrian Civil War and ISIS. She received her PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2023 titled "Production and Consumption of Middle Islamic Ceramics (1000-1500 CE) in Western Asia: Regional Practices in an Interconnected World". She is now Associate Director and Ceramicist of the Rural Landscapes of Iron Age Imperial Mesopotamia Project. She has worked in Syria, Iraq, Ehypt, Bolivia, England, and the USA. 

Information for presenters

Please see our presenter guidelines. If you have questions or would like to present, please contact Justin Mason.