First projects using the Mobile Heritage Lab begin

The first projects using the UK’s first Mobile Heritage Lab (MHL), a unique research and public engagement vehicle have started. The vehicle has already participated in several events since its launch in May 2015, including two successful days of public engagement at Hampton Court Palace and the On Light festival. 

It was the star exhibit at the AGM of the National Heritage Science Forum which was held at UCL in December 2015 where it was visited among others by Gary Grubb, Associate Director of Programmes at AHRC; Kate Pugh, Chief Executive of The Heritage Alliance and Alastair McCapra, the newly appointed Chairman of the National Heritage Science Forum.

The MHL is a joint venture of University College London, the University of Oxford and the University of Brighton, and it is funded by EPSRC. It is a mobile research infrastructure to support research and public engagement projects. 

The mission of the Mobile Heritage Lab is to distribute skills and technology, mitigating the inequality of access to heritage science resources. As part of the SEAHA CDT,  it aids the delivery of projects related to the research of SEAHA students. It is also available to any institution or organisation that wishes to apply, through our online application form, and propose a project. 

Users of the Mobile Heritage Lab will have access to scientific equipment from leading laboratories that participate in SEAHA including UCL, Oxford and Brighton. The equipment covers different areas of heritage science interest, such as environmental monitoring, imaging and chemical analysis. The extensive range of instruments available allows the contents of the Lab to be reconfigured on-demand. It includes ground penetrating radar, hyperspectral imaging, a weather station and pollution monitors, to name only a few. More information here.