Fulco Scherjon
Guest
- Name
- Dr.ir. F. Scherjon
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2727
- f.scherjon@arch.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-5859-8813
Fulco Scherjon is a guest researcher at the Faculty of Archaeology.
Office days
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
Research
An overarching theme in my research is the definition and identification of modern human behavior. Who is Homo sapiens and why do we behave as we do? In order to understand parts of this package I focus on key elements from this repertoire, including language, fire use and social dynamics. The main source of information is the archaeological record where important data can be hidden in larger patterns beyond the individual site level. Drawing from a computational background I aim to fill in details that a biased archaeological record cannot provide. As an expert in modelling and simulation I apply this method throughout my research.
A key element in my current research is the Neanderthal distribution in North-western Europe as a case study for modelling and simulating past hominins in a realistic environment. I implemented the HomininSpace modelling and simulation system to explore in detail the rhythms of expansion and retreat of Middle Pleistocene populations. The tool includes highly detailed paleoenvironmental reconstructions and inferred Neandertal demographics and energy requirements. Simulation results are compared against the archaeological record and subjected to rigorous statistical analyses. Machine learning techniques are applied to detect promising model parameter values and avoid research biases.
Teaching activities
I aim to innovatively teach digital methods and techniques for analyzing data from the past. But also to show that knowledge of the deep past can help understanding the present and thus influence our future.
Curriculum vitae
I was originally trained as a computer scientist and information analyst at Delft University (Msc). I obtained my research MA (Archaeology, Human Origins) in 2013 modelling pathways into Europe for early modern humans. I completed my PhD research in 2019 on simulating Neanderthal distribution in western Europe. With this multi-disciplinary background I am collaborate with other researchers adding digital skills to a wide range of projects detailing the deep past.
Guest
- Faculteit Archeologie
- World Archaeology
- Human Origins
- Nikulina A., MacDonald K., Scherjon F., Pearce E.A., Davoli M., Svenning J.-C., Vella E., Gaillard M.-J., Zapolska A., Arthur F., Martinez A., Hatlestad K., Mazier F., Serge M.A., Lindholm K.-J., Fyfe R., Renssen H., Roche D.M., Kluiving S. & Roebroeks W. (2022), Tracking hunter-gatherer impact on vegetation in last interglacial and holocene Europe: proxies and challenges, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 29: 989–1033.
- Roebroeks J.W.M., MacDonald K., Scherjon F., Bakels C.C., Kindler L., Nikulina A., Pop E. & Gaudzinski-Windheuser. S. (2021), Landscape modification by Last Interglacial Neanderthals, Science Advances 7(51): .
- Vaesen K., MacDonald K., Scherjon F., Veen E. van & Roebroeks W. (2021), Reply to McGrew: chimpanzees do not exhibit widespread cultural diffusion, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(51): e2116917118.
- MacDonald K., Scherjon F., Veen E. van, Vaesen K., Roebroeks W. & Bakels C.C. (2021), Middle Pleistocene fire use: the first signal of widespread cultural diffusion in human evolution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(31): e2101108118.
- Roebroeks J.W.M., MacDonald K. & Scherjon F. (2021), Establishing patterns of early fire use in human evolution. In: Gaudzinski-Windheuser S. & Jöris O. (Eds.) The Beef behind All Possible Pasts. The Tandem Festschrift in Honour of Elaine Turner and Martin Street (Volume 1. Heidelberg: Propylaeum.
- Roebroeks W., MacDonald K., Scherjon F., Bakels C.C, Kindler L., Nikulina A., Pop E.A.L. & Gaudzinski-Windheuser S. (2021), Landscape modification by Last Interglacial Neanderthals, Science Advances 7(51): eabj5567.
- Scherjon F. & Dusseldorp G.J. (3 December 2019), Neanderthaler niet uitgestorven door de moderne mens. Interviewed by Overmeer Marjolein for Nemo Kennislink. [interview].
- Vaesen K., Scherjon F., Hemerik L. & Verpoorte A. (2019), Inbreeding, Allee effects and stochasticity might be sufficient to account for Neanderthal extinction, PLoS ONE 14(11): e0225117.
- Scherjon F. (14 October 2019), Inheemse volkeren zorgen goed voor de planeet, zegt Greta Thunberg – Klopt dit wel?. Interviewed by Vlooswijk Enith for De Volkskrant, Klopt dit wel?. [interview].
- Scherjon F. (26 September 2019), Middag van de Wetenschap in de Natuurspeeltuin: zonovergoten en zeer geslaagd. for Groot Voorschoten: 3. [interview].
- Scherjon F. (24 September 2019), Geslaagde Middag van de Wetenschap in Natuurspeeltuin. for Voorschotense Krant. [interview].
- Scherjon F. (16 July 2019), Deze onderzoeker laat de neanderthalers bij bosjes doodgaan. Interviewed by Smit Stevan for Focus (NPO Radio 1). [interview].
- Scherjon F. (28 May 2019), Virtual Neanderthals : a study in agent-based modelling Late Pleistocene hominins in western Europe (Dissertatie. Human Origins group, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University). Vianen: Global Academic Press. Supervisor(s) and Co-supervisor(s): Roebroeks J.W.M., MacDonald K.
- Scherjon F. (27 May 2019), Neanderdata. NMNWeek. [blog entry].
- Sherjon F. (24 May 2019), Hij laat de neanderthalers uitsterven, telkens weer. Interviewed by Keulemans Maarten for De Volkskrant, Wetenschap. [interview].
- Scherjon F., Romanowska I. & Lambers K. (2019), Digitally Teaching Digital Skills: Lessons Drawn from a Small Private Online Course (SPOC) on ‘Modelling and Simulation in Archaeology’ at Leiden University, Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology 2(1): 79-88.
- Sorensen A.C. & Scherjon F. (2018), fiReproxies: A computational model providing insight into heat-affected archaeological lithic assemblages, PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196777.
- Scherjon F. (13 March 2018), Niet de grote grazers, maar prehistorische mens maakte de open vlakten - die brandde de boel plat. Interviewed by Keulemans M. for De Volkskrant, Wetenschap. [interview].
- Sorensen A.C. & Scherjon F. (2018), Introducing “fiReproxies”: A computer simulation-based tool for gaining a better understanding of archaeological fire proxy evidence, : .
- Scherjon F. (17 August 2017), Mammoeten in de Vlietwijk!. Groot Voorschoten.
- Scherjon F. (2017), Evolving hominins in HomininSpace — Genetic algorithms and the search for the ‘perfect’ Neanderthal. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) 2016 (Oslo) 29 March 2016 - 2 April 2016.
- Vaesen K., Scherjon F., Verpoorte A. & Hemerik L. 21 September 2017 - 23 September 2017. European Society for the study of Human Evolution (ESHE) 2017 (Leiden). European Society for the study of Human Evolution. Leiden. [conference attendance].
- Aarts J.M.M.J.G., Alink G.M., Scherjon F., MacDonald K., Smith A.C., Nijveen H. & Roebroeks W. (2016), Fire Usage and Ancient Hominin Detoxification Genes: Protective Ancestral Variants Dominate While Additional Derived Risk Variants Appear in Modern Humans, PLoS ONE 11(e0161102): .
- Scherjon F., Vaesen K. & Verpoorte A. 15 September 2016 - 17 September 2016. ESHE (Madrid). European Society for the study of Human Evolution. Madrid. [conference attendance].
- Scherjon F. & Pop E.A.L. (6 June 2015), Homo pyromanicus - de zaak van de fakkelende oermens. Interviewed by Keulemans M. for De Volkskrant, Sir Edmund. [interview].
- Scherjon F., Bakels C.C., MacDonald K. & Roebroeks W. (2015), Burning the Land. An Ethnographic Study of Off-Site Fire Use by Current and Historically Documented Foragers and Implications for the Interpretation of Past Fire Practices in the Landscape, Current Anthropology 56(3): 299-326.
- Scherjon F. & Kamermans H. (2014), Happisburgh I. GIS data sets. Leiden: Faculty of Archaeology.
- Scherjon F. (2014), Het simuleren van mensachtigen (Hominidae) in een realistisch landschap. (Leiden). [lecture].
- Scherjon F. (2014), Modelling and simulating past hominins. Abstraction with a touch of realism. (Leiden). [lecture].
- Scherjon F. (2013), Burning The Land. European Society for the study of Human Evolution (ESHE), Leiden. 21 September 2017 - 23 September 2017. [conference poster].
- Scherjon F. (2012), SteppingIn – Modern humans moving into Europe – Implementation. Whitelock D., Warburton W., Wills G. & Gilbert L. (Eds.), CAA 2012 International Conference,. : University of Southampton.
- software ontwikkeling