CSUSB Egyptologists Kate Liszka and Bryan Kraemer brought the university’s archaeological research to international audiences this past summer as the 2026 Gale Egyptology Fellows of the Australian Centre for Egyptology. 

During a wide-ranging lecture tour in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, they shared new perspectives on ancient Egyptian amethyst expeditions, archaeology, epigraphy and museum practice with scholars, university students, schoolchildren and members of the public.

The fellowship recognized Liszka and Kraemer’s work as directors of the Wadi el-Hudi Expedition in Egypt, where they study the desert mines, settlements and inscriptions associated with expeditions sent by Egyptian pharaohs to obtain amethyst nearly 4,000 years ago.

“I feel so honored that we were selected to be the Gale Egyptology Fellows this year,” Liszka said. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about Australia, meet so many people interested in ancient Egypt and share our archaeological work.”

Kate Liszka, the Benson and Pamela Harer Fellow in Egyptology and a CSUSB professor of history.
Kate Liszka, the Benson and Pamela Harer Fellow in Egyptology and a CSUSB professor of history, during a presentation in Austrailia.

The pair presented a full-day program of four connected lectures on their work at Wadi el-Hudi:

  • “The Journey of Ancient Egyptian Amethyst: From Desert Mine to Royal Jewelry,” Liszka;
  • “Epigraphy on the Run: Recording the Inscribed Spaces of Wadi el-Hudi,” Kraemer;
  • “Building Egypt’s Amethyst Industry: Archaeological Perspectives from Wadi el-Hudi,” Liszka; and
  • “‘Fear the Watchman Upon the Wall’: The Fortified Frontiers of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom and the Example of Wadi el-Hudi,” Kraemer.

In Perth, Liszka delivered a keynote lecture at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip on ancient Egyptian expeditions for amethyst. Dozens of audience members remained after the program to continue the conversation with the speakers.

Liszka and Kraemer also delivered 11 presentations at seven middle and high schools, introducing students to the work of Egyptologists and archaeologists and demonstrating how archaeology uses primary evidence to write history. Teachers reported that students were especially excited by Kraemer’s live reading of hieroglyphs and his lesson on identifying royal names inside cartouches.

Kate Liszka (left) photo, and Brian Kraemer speaking to students in Australia.
Kate Liszka (left) photo, and Bryan Kraemer speaking to students in Australia.

Liszka additionally spoke with Year 12 students about Egypt and Nubia during the 18th Dynasty and the origins of colonialism. The program was so well received that she was invited to reprise it via Zoom in March 2027 for history teachers from across Western Australia, helping them incorporate the material into the state’s required high school curriculum.

The tour concluded in Melbourne, where Liszka and Kraemer reprised their four-lecture study day for the Egyptology Society of Victoria at Monash University. The event brought together local Egyptologists for discussions comparing archaeological sites across Egypt. Liszka also led an advanced seminar for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students at Monash, using Wadi el-Hudi to demonstrate how scholars reassess primary evidence, challenge assumptions and build logical arguments from the ground up. Students began applying those methods to their own research during the seminar.

“This was an incredible opportunity to meet wonderful colleagues and see an amazing part of the world,” Kraemer said. “We shared several solutions to issues in archaeology and museum practice.”

The fellowship tour strengthened CSUSB’s international connections while showcasing the university’s expertise in Egyptology, archaeology, museum collections, digital documentation and student-centered teaching. Outside their formal programs, Liszka and Kraemer explored Australian history and wildlife at Uluru and the Blue Mountains and encountered quokkas, kangaroos, little penguins, emus, ibises and cockatoos.

About the Scholars

Kate Liszka is the Benson and Pamela Harer Fellow in Egyptology and a professor of history at CSUSB. She teaches courses on ancient Egypt, oversees the university’s Certificate in Egyptology and is one of three directors of the Wadi el-Hudi Expedition.

Bryan Kraemer is the Egyptologist at CSUSB’s Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art. He has researched the university’s Egyptological collection and spearheaded 3D documentation of its objects and galleries. He has also taught for CSUSB’s Department of History and in graduate programs at La Sierra University. As one of three directors of the Wadi el-Hudi Expedition, he leads survey, 3D recording, epigraphy and translation for the project.