The John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Penelope Biggs Travel Award, an exciting program that supports faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students whose travel is related to the study of Greco‑Roman antiquity. The award is open to faculty whose research involves Greco‑Roman antiquity, as well as graduate and undergraduate students whose travel includes the study of Greco‑Roman antiquity and who have majors, minors, or coursework in the Departments of Classics, Philosophy, or Art History and Archaeology.
Through this support, recipients are able to pursue archaeological fieldwork, archival and museum research, conferences, exhibitions, and immersive study programs that deepen their engagement with the ancient Mediterranean world and its reception.
This year’s award recipients reflect the intellectual breadth of the Biggs Department community, with funded projects spanning Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean.
Graduate Student Recipients
Mo Stein
MA Student, Art History & Archaeology
A multi‑year recipient of the Penelope Biggs Travel Award, Mo Stein has used the funding to support a sustained research agenda in archaeology and material culture. In summer 2025, Stein traveled to London, Oxford, and Paris to research the technical transformation and sociopolitical significance of Egyptian faience during periods of Greek and Roman rule in Egypt. During the 2025 period, Stein participated in excavations at Amheida, Egypt and plans to return in 2026, and will also return to London for research on Wedgwood, connecting ancient production traditions with later classical reception.
Aaron Held
MA Student, Classics
Aaron Held received funding for multiple research activities. In 2025, Held participated in excavations at Amheida, Egypt, and in 2026 will return to Amheida and attend the Coptic Summer School in Rome, further developing skills in Coptic language and late antique material culture.
Claire Lyman
PhD Student, Art History & Archaeology
A recipient of the Penelope Biggs Travel Award from 2024 through 2026, Claire Lyman has participated in excavations in the Dakhla Oasis, Egypt, led by Nicola Aravecchia (Classics and Art History & Archaeology). In 2026, she will also travel to Tunisia for dissertation research focused on North Africa.
Ana Maria Ribeiro
PhD Student, Classics
Ana Maria Ribeiro will use the 2026 award to participate in the 17th Annual Meeting of MOISA (International Society for the Study of Ancient Music), to be held June 22–24 in Nice, France, supporting engagement with international scholarship in ancient music and performance.
Patrick Andrews
PhD Student, Classics
Patrick Andrews received the 2026 award to travel to Greece to study and document graffiti for publication, advancing original research toward scholarly dissemination.
Undergraduate Student Recipients
Nicole Spangler
Undergraduate Major, Classics
A three‑time recipient of the Penelope Biggs Travel Award, Nicole Spangler participated in excavations at Iklaina, Greece (2024), an archaeological field school at Aguntum, Austria (2025), and will return to Iklaina Field School in 2026, continuing her archaeological training.
Olivia Hart
Undergraduate Student, Art History & Archaeology
Olivia Hart received support to participate in IES Forma Urbis: The Archaeology of Ancient Rome, an immersive program that combines archaeological study with on‑site exploration of Rome’s ancient urban landscape.
William Howell
Undergraduate Major, Classics
William Howell will use his award to participate in a field school, gaining hands‑on experience in archaeological methods and field research.
Harriet Krajkovoic
Undergraduate Major, Art History & Archaeology
Harriet Krajkovoic received the award to travel to Europe in conjunction with research for a Kemper Art Museum exhibition on Artists and Classics, supporting interdisciplinary inquiry into classical reception.
Cara Lichty
Undergraduate Major, Classics
Caroline Lichty will attend a field school at Aguntum, Austria, further strengthening her training in classical archaeology.
The Penelope Biggs Travel Award continues to play a vital role in supporting experiential learning, international research, and scholarly excellence across the departments of Classics, Philosophy, and Art History & Archaeology. The department congratulates all 2026 recipients and looks forward to the contributions their work will bring to the study of Greco‑Roman antiquity.
