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DEEP DIVE

The rise of AI in maritime archaeology

With Dr John McCarthy

Beneath our planet’s waters are the secrets to cultures of bygone eras. However, underwater expeditions are often expensive and time consuming for divers who explore the ocean's floor for signs of human history. One Flinders researcher is focusing on how digital innovations can help detect ancient sites under the sea.

Hear from maritime archaeologist Dr John McCarthy who is developing world-first AI technology that can help look for ancient submerged landscapes on the ocean’s floor. John is the recipient of an ARC DECRA dedicated to developing the hi-tech solution that can pinpoint potential Aboriginal archaeological material in large survey areas. These areas can then be examined through scientific dives along the Australian coastline.

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Dr John McCarthy

John is a Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA) Fellow and Lecturer in maritime archaeology at Flinders University. He is a scientific diver whose research focuses on digital innovation in archaeological methodology, submerged archaeological landscapes, and European merchant vessels of the Early Modern period.

Throughout his career so far, John has explored the depths of the ocean, surveying numerous shipwrecks dating back to the 17th century. In 2020 he was part of the team that found and surveyed Australia's first sub-tidal Aboriginal archaeological site. John is currently undertaking a three-year DECRA Fellowship to investigate how we could use machine learning in exploring marine archaeological sites around Australia.

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