2012 – 2015     
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ETH Zurich, Institut für Denkmalpflege und Bauforschung

since 2014     
Lead instructor of summer program in "Documentation and Analysis of Ancient Buildings", American Academy in Rom

2011     
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, "Octavian’s Sanctuary of Apollo on the Palatine: Architecture, Site, and the Development of a Sacred Topography"
since 2005     Architectural survey of the Palatine sanctuary of Apollo in Rome

2003     
M.A. in Classical Archaeology, University of Vienna

2000 – 2001     
Studies at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris

1999 – 2000     
Studies at the FU Berlin

1998 – 2007     
Participated in excavation projects in Italy (Velia) and Syria (Dura Europos, Palmyra)

This project investigates architectural surfaces and their cultural significance during the Roman period (ca. 7th c. BC to 4th c. AD). Colors, textures, and materials were key for the semantic meaning of ancient architecture and also contributed to its sensual experience. Often, however, these final surface layers are missing, and by looking only at the skeleton of a building we may arrive at incomplete or even misleading interpretations of its original design and intended meanings. Surface treatment also represents the interface between different artistic genres such as architecture, sculpture, and painting. Bringing together humanities and natural sciences, this project involves the material analysis of architectural surfaces, as well as the assessment of ancient theories of the visual arts and their artistic production. It promises to become a fundamental contribution to our understanding of Roman architectural design and its principles.

2015     
"The Palatine sanctuary of Apollo: the site and its development, 6th to 1st c. B.C.", in: Journal of Roman Archaeology 28, 358-370.

"'Das Haus der Livia' auf dem Palatin in Rom: archäologische und konservatorische Methoden aus vier Jahrhunderten", in: U. Hassler (Hrsg.), Langfristperspektiven archäologischer Stätten. Wissensgeschichte und forschungsgeleitete Konservierung, Int. Konferenz ETH Zurich, Februar 2015, München.

2014     
"Roman architectural polychromy: colours, materials, and techniques", in: J. S. Østergaard (Hrsg.), Transformations – Classical Sculpture in Colour, Exhibition Catalogue Ny Carlsberg Glyptothek Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 208-227.

S. Zink, M. Vernooij, P. Brack, "Marmor sammeln und ordnen: die Sammlung römischer Dekorationsgesteine der ETH Zürich", in: U. Hassler, T. Meyer (Hrsg.), Kategorien des Wissens. Die Sammlung als epistemisches Objekt, Zürich, (2014), S.209-227.

2012     
"Old and new archaeological evidence for the plan of the Palatine temple of Apollo", in: Journal of Roman Archaeology 25, 388-402.

2009     
S. Zink, H. Piening, "Haec aurea templa: The Palatine temple of Apollo and its polychromy", in: Journal of Roman Archaeology 22, 109-22.