Headshot
Assistant Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology
207 Swallow Hall
Faculty
Bio

Didi is an Egyptian Archaeologist, a National Geographic Explorer, and the co-director of the Memphis Kom el-Fakhry Archaeological Project (MKAP) in Egypt. Her main research interests include understanding ancient Egyptian settlement patterns and ancient landscapes through the lens of remote sensing, GIS, and 3D modeling. She has used these technologies to further propel cultural heritage preservation efforts and education initiatives in Egypt, including several outreach opportunities with National Geographic Learning.

In addition to directing the Memphis Kom el-Fakhry Archaeological Project (MKAP), Didi has conducted archaeological fieldwork at several sites in Egypt, including at Tell Edfu, Deir el-Bahri, Asasif, and Hermopolis Magna. She has also worked as a remote sensing research consultant at NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, in addition to completing a Space Archaeology internship at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Education
  • Ph.D. Egyptian Archaeology, University of Chicago, 2024
  • M.A. Egyptian Archaeology, University of Chicago, 2019
  • B.A. Anthropology (Archaeology), University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2017
Research

Egyptian archaeology; human-environment interactions; settlement patterns; landscape archaeology; climate change in antiquity; environmental archaeology; remote sensing; Geographic Information System (GIS); machine learning

Teaching
  • Near Eastern & Egyptian Art and Archaeology
  • Seminar in Egyptian Art and Archaeology (Archaeology of the Fayum)
Select Publications

2024   Ghoneim, E., Ralph, T., Onstine, S., El-Behaedi, R., El-Qady, G., Hafez, M., Atya, M., Ebrahim, M., Fahil, A., Khozym, A., Sobhy, M. “Discovery of the Ahramat Nile Branch: A Hidden Ancient Waterway of the Egyptian Pyramid Chain.” Nature Communications Earth & Environment, 5 233.

2022   El-Behaedi, R. “Detection and 3D Modeling of Potential Buried Archaeological Structures Using WorldView-3 Satellite Imagery.” Remote Sensing, 14(1):92.

2018   El-Behaedi, R. & Ghoneim, E. “Flood Risk Assessment of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex (Egypt) based on High-Resolution Spaceborne Stereo Imagery.” Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 20: 458-67.