The prestigious Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement recently honored Stanley Onyemechalu, a Nigerian PhD student in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge. Onyemechalu’s work on the Biafra Heritage Project earned him the runner-up position in the Early Career Researcher category.
The awards ceremony, which highlights outstanding research contributions, also recognized Professor Gilly Carr as a runner-up in the Established Academic category for her Safeguarding Sites Project. The annual event celebrates researchers whose work has made significant social, cultural, and academic impacts, with accolades presented by Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice and Professor Sir John Aston FRS, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research.
Onyemechalu’s Biafra Heritage Project focuses on engaging communities in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria, through artistic expressions such as workshops and exhibitions. The initiative aims to foster intergenerational dialogue and enhance historical awareness of the Nigeria-Biafra war, a significant yet often underrepresented chapter in Nigerian history.
Onyemechalu expressed his gratitude for the prestigious recognition, saying, “Receiving this important recognition from the University of Cambridge for my work with communities in southeastern Nigeria is truly an honor.” He took the opportunity to thank his collaborators at the Centre for Memories in Enugu, his supervisor Dr. Dacia Viejo-Rose, and colleagues at the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre. Special appreciation was also extended to the Public Engagement team at Cambridge, along with support from the Royal Anthropological Institute, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and Cambridge’s Public Engagement Starter Fund.
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The Biafra Heritage Project’s work is particularly significant, as it sheds light on a period of history that has often been downplayed by successive Nigerian governments. By facilitating conversations through art and exhibitions, the project seeks to preserve historical narratives and strengthen community ties.
