Iris Bednarski is a master’s student studying the material culture of the medieval Mediterranean under the supervision of Dr. Cecily Hilsdale. Her research focuses on object biography and intercultural exchange, with a particular interest in the ivory production of Norman Italy. She works professionally as a paleographer and has served on the (2023 – 2024) and (2025) projects at Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as the Medieval Maritime Violence and the Mediterranean Spiritual Economy, 750-1300 project at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø(2025 – present).
Iris is the recipient of the Joan Grier Nowakowski and W.O. Judkins Memorial prizes in art history. Her current research is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.