Stephen Wessels, MSc
Deputy Chief Scientist
Stephen is a Geomatician and digital heritage specialist with a Master’s degree in Geomatics which focussed on creating a 3D virtual site visit of Petra, Jordan. From 2007 to 2020 he worked at the Zamani project where he became a chief scientific officer at the University of Cape Town responsible for creating 3D models of heritage sites using laser scanning, photogrammetry and panorama photography, during which he has documented over 200 heritage sites in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Stephen is currently a PhD candidate with his research focusing on how 3D models can be used to give the public virtual access to archaeological and heritage sites and objects. His aim is to represent sites as meaningful places in an immersive and educational context. To this end he has been developing the Rock Art Portal by scanning and presenting rock art sites in the Cederberg, South Africa.
From 2020 Stephen began work as a freelancer creating virtual tours and digital exhibitions for museums and cultural institutions, combining his passion for archaeology and heritage with cutting-edge digitization and visualization technology.