A PhD researcher from Staffordshire University has received a prestigious award for her work to locate mass graves in Ukraine
Daria Cherkaska was chosen from a competitive field of candidates from around the world
This award recognises the significance of Daria’s research for Holocaust Studies. It is very prestigious and Daria truly deserves it as she is very dedicated and passionate about her important research. We are very proud of her achievement.
Daria Cherkaska has been awarded $1,500 to support her doctoral studies after being chosen from a competitive field of candidates from around the world.
The Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Research on the Holocaust in the Soviet Union at Yad Vashem selected Daria for a Research Scholarship as part of their Doctoral Students and Young Scholar’s grant program.
Daria’s research focuses on the use of forensic archaeological methods to investigate Holocaust killing sites in Ukraine. She said: “It is a real honour for me to receive this award and it is really important for my research.”
In Eastern Europe, the Holocaust took place not only at camps but also in thousands of small villages, towns and even in big cities. Most graves are still not officially commemorated or protected plus many mass graves remain unlocated.
Daria’s research investigates how cutting-edge technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar can be used alongside post-war eyewitness testimonies to confirm the accurate location of known graves and to prove the existence of unknown graves.
Daria is supervised by world renowned Holocaust archaeologist Professor Caroline Sturdy Colls and Kevin Colls, an Associate Professor, both from the Centre of Archaeology.
Professor Sturdy Colls said: “This award recognises the significance of Daria’s research for Holocaust Studies. It is very prestigious and Daria truly deserves it as she is very dedicated and passionate about her important research. We are very proud of her achievement.”