Meet our Maritime Archaeology Alumni

MMarArchaeol '06, PhD(EHLT) '13Assistant Curator

Department of Maritime Heritage, Western Australian Museum

‘No two sites or stories are the same, so each experience is unique,’ says Deb Shefi, who turned her love of diving, culture, exploration and travel into a maritime archaeology career.

Deb is currently the collections manager in the Department of Maritime Heritage, WA Museum. She is also a coxswain, SSBA commercial diver (to 30m) and State Officer for the Commonwealth Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Program.

Deb previously worked as a heritage consultant, helped manage the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant Australian Historic Shipwreck Preservation Project and lectured in Maritime Archaeology at Flinders University.

Deb’s study at Flinders afforded her the opportunity to meet heritage managers from both the private and public sectors and work in the aforementioned environments, setting her up for career success.

MMarArchaeol '17

Special Collections Librarian

Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library 

Don La Barre began his career as a research associate in the archaeology department for El Presidio de Santa Barbara, California. After several summers and previous experience in college attending field projects, he knew maritime archaeology was the direction he wanted to take his career.

Don completed his Master of Maritime Archaeology at Flinders University in 2017 and soon began working for the Alpena County Library, Michigan overseeing the management of their local collections and Great Lakes 19th century maritime collection in partnership with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Don’s education at Flinders prepared him for success in his field, where he works with researchers, archival management and Sanctuary partners. The partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in particular allows Don to be involved at a local, state and federal level in the United States. Since joining the Library, he’s managed the largest endowment donation set to benefit the Special Collections department’s future growth.

PhD(Humanities) '20

Lecturer

Department of Geography, History and Humanities, University of Almeria

Winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s prize for doctoral thesis excellence for his contribution to the research fields of maritime archaeology, maritime-connectivity and cultural interaction, Dr Enrique Aragon’s research encapsulated the evaluation of contact zones in the Mediterranean Sea, encouraging him to build a research profile based upon a multi-method approach.

Currently a lecturer at the University of Almeri, Spain, Enrique has an extensive background in Maritime Cultural Heritage (MCH), as well as underwater archaeology with implications as a junction between communities and environment.

Participation in projects involving the management and administration of local authorities and communities has led Enrique to cultivate an interest in the integration of MCH under the Blue Economy perspective.

In 2020, he received the the ESD Okayama Award, which recognises outstanding practices in Education for Sustainable Development by UNESCO.

‘My time at Flinders provided a unique opportunity to gain commitment within a collaborative and exciting educational environment.’

MMarArchaeol '15

Operations Officer

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Okeanos Explorer, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps

As a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer, Hunter Brendel acts as a liaison between science partners and vessel crew to ensure that projects are executed safely and efficiently.

Undertaking a variety of missions in his day-to-day work, Hunter has served aboard a NOAA fisheries ship, coordinated a fleet of research vessels in the Great Lakes, and is now running daily operations for the United States' ship for ocean exploration.

Pre-NOAA, Hunter’s time at Flinders University included underwater and terrestrial surveying of Hawthorn, a Victorian-era ketch, and research for his Master Thesis – Seventieth-Century Western European Expansionist Ideas of Space in the Maritime Cultural Landscape.

Originally from Victoria, Texas, USA, Hunter has since spent most of his life traveling for work and school – including on cultural heritage sites in South Australia, Florida and Great Lakes waters. He has also assisted in mapping and investigating through ROVs and AUVs, plus several deep-water shipwrecks in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

MMarArchaeol '16

Associate Evaluation Officer

Strategy, Planning, Accountability, Results, and Knowledge Division
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

A passion for social change, particularly involving Indigenous groups, has led Iain Gately from cultural heritage management in the Pilbara to being recruited by the United Nations through the Young Professionals Program. Currently based in Beirut, Iain is proud to be making an impact at a global level.

While working as an archaeologist, and more recently during his time at the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) as a performance analyst, Iain saw the difference that effective public policy can make on people's lives. This inspired him to develop his research and analysis skills through a master’s degree at Flinders University.

Over an excitingly diverse career, Iain has been part of numerous maritime and terrestrial archaeological projects around the world, ranging from a Phoenician shipwreck in Spain to a Roman town in England, as well as discovering, and consequently protecting, a burial site in the Pilbara. 

‘People often questioned what I hoped to achieve with a degree in archaeology, but I think that the skills and experiences I have gained opened a range of doors for me.’

MMarArchaeol '08, GradDipMarArchaeol '08

CEO and founder

Maritime Archeology Sea Trust (MAST)

A former journalist with the UK broadsheets including stints in the Middle East, Jessica Berry took her career underwater after studying a Master in Maritime Archaeology at Flinders University in 2008.

Jessica is now CEO and founder of the Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust (MAST), a charitable organisation launched in February 2011.

MAST has partnered and led a number of major British and international maritime archaeological projects. The organisation works closely with academic establishments, government bodies and agencies, museums and avocational groups.

Jessica Berry was awarded a Flinders University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017 for her significant contribution nationally and internationally to maritime archaeology

MMarArchaeol '06, PhD(EHLT) '11

Associate Professor

Department of Humanities, Tokai University, Japan

While completing his PhD at Flinders University, Jun Kimura was exposed to a number of surveys and gained excavation experience as a field archaeologist, focusing on projects like Kublai Khan’s 13th century invasions of Japan and Vietnam, helping him to develop his own unique areas of expertise.

His scholarly publications include Naval Battlefield Archaeology of the Lost Kublai Khan Fleets and Archaeology of East Asian Shipbuilding Tradition. Jun’s current research interests are the shipwreck study of the Maritime Silk Routes and the Manila Galleon trading, having contributed to the publication Silk Roads: Peoples, Cultures, Landscapes.

Examining the historical naval campaigns by the hegemonic maritime power, Jun’s decision to pursue the theme of medieval ship construction methods in East Asia has consequently earnt him a reputation as an expert in this field, backed up by the pioneering work he’s achieved in his academic career.

‘The University’s inclusive environment and academic networks within Australia provided me diverse experiences.’

PhD(Humanities) '20

Associate Lecturer in history and Archaeology

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University

Graduating in Archaeology and Ethnology from the University of Zagreb, Croatia in 2009, Katarina Jerbic initially worked as a field archaeologist specialising in prehistoric archaeology, cave archaeology, archaeological illustration and maritime archaeology. But in 2016, Katarina got her big break – being awarded an international scholarship to study maritime archaeology at Flinders University.

She graduated in 2020 and went onto work in Australian heritage management. This opened many doors for Katarina, including learning to SCUBA dive with museum colleagues to assist with a submerged prehistoric site. This unknowingly turned out to be a crucial move for her career, as the site became the topic of her PhD and the place where she met her supervisor.

Katarina is now gearing up for a two-year post doctorate at the University of Bern, Switzerland that she was recently awarded. The project is directly connected to her PhD research and provides her an opportunity to enter back into academia, while also undertaking more maritime archaeology work in Croatia in 2023 and 2024.

‘Flinders offers an impressive range of supporting programs and courses designed for international students which are also very useful for Australian students.’

GradCertMarArchaeol '09, PhD(EHLT) '16

Associate Professor

Archaeological Studies Program, University of the Philippines

Studying at Flinders University paved the way for Gay Lacsina to become the first Filipino to obtain a doctorate degree that focused on a maritime archaeology specialisation.

This experience has allowed Gay to progress the field in her home country and ultimately begin her new role at the University of the Philippines, mentoring the next generation of maritime archaeologists.

Up until last year, Gay had worked at the National Museum of the Philippines as a researcher and curator of the Archaeology Division and the Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division.

Among her many field experiences, joining the ongoing search for shipwreck off the east coast of Japan in rough waters and fast current, in a collaborative project led by Flinders alumnus Dr. Jun Kimura, is a memorable highlight.

BArchaeol '11, MMarArchaeol '13

Senior Curator, Maritime Archaeology

Cultures & Histories, Queensland Museum Network, College of Art, Social Science and Education, James Cook University 

With a career spanning over a decade and stints working in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and now Queensland, Maddy McAllister has found her research predominantly focused on shipwrecks and underwater archaeology in Australasia.

Maddy has a passion for wooden ship construction and site formation processes – particularly on reef environments. Her PhD research explored underwater 3D-photogrammetry of shipwreck sites, analysing the implication of theoretical approaches to archaeological visualisation and digital realism, which continues to be a focal point of her studies today.

Maddy's current position is a joint role between JCU and the Queensland Museum, where she manages the maritime archaeological collection housed in Townsville at the Museum of Tropical Queensland.

Maddy is also a commercial diver and coxswain with a host of experience in maritime heritage management and fieldwork across Australia and the world.

GradDipMarArchaeol '08

Research Director, The Major Projects Foundation 

Honorary Associate, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University

Since 2007, Dr Matthew Carter has worked on numerous underwater archaeological projects spanning the globe. Ranging from the excavation of a 2800-year-old Phoenician shipwreck in Spain, to mapping ancient Mayan skeletons in sacred cenotes in Mexico, and even 3D-modelling WWII wrecks in Micronesia – Matthew really has put his knowledge to good use!

In 2009, he was awarded the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society's Australasian Rolex Scholarship, first introducing him to the use of closed-circuit rebreathers for scientific diving, which he has continued to use within marine archaeology in Australasia.

Currently Research Director for the Major Projects Foundation at La Trobe, Matthew combines his archaeological training with a passion for protecting the marine environment. He is a Vice-President of AIMA, a representative on the ICOMOS International Committee on Underwater Cultural Heritage (ICUCH) and an International Fellow of the Explorers Club. 

‘Flinders Uni provided me with the foundation of both theoretical and practical knowledge that I needed to enter the field of maritime archaeology.’

BA (Hons)(Archaeological Science) '98, PhD (EHLT) '03

Professor & Director

Program in Maritime Studies, Department of History, East Carolina University 

Born and raised in Adelaide, Nathan Richards attended Flinders University over the period of 1994-2003 attaining his BA, BA(Hons.) and PhD degrees with the Department of Archaeology (then Visual Arts and Archaeology).

Being introduced to shipwreck archaeology (and ship graveyards) at Flinders and working with Dr Staniforth on the AWSANZ Project were both catalysts to Nathan obtaining short stints of work with Heritage SA and Heritage Tasmania.

After these early-career highlights, Nathan became an assistant professor of the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina) in 2004. Over 2011-2018, he concurrently served as the Program Head for the UNC-Coastal Studies Institute’s Maritime Heritage Program. Nathan became Director of Maritime Studies in 2018, and currently holds the academic rank of full professor.

Nathan has been lucky enough to work on many other great projects across the United States and in places such as Costa Rica, Bermuda, and Italy with colleagues, collaborators and students.

GradDipMarArchaeol '05, MMarArchaeol '07

Education Manager

Nautical Archaeology Society

Peta Knott has held several heritage positions in Australia and the UK since completing her Honours in Classical Archaeology (USyd) and Masters in Maritime Archaeology (Flinders Uni), but it’s running the internationally accredited education programme for the Nautical Archaeology Society that she truly believes is her calling.

On a day-to-day basis, Peta gets the chance to interact with expert tutors and course participants who have a wealth of knowledge through their passion for maritime heritage.

Over her decorated career, Peta has provided a voice at international level as Communications Officer for the UNESCO 2001 Convention of Accredited NGOs, she was the first editor of Maritime Archaeology and Reports Series (MAMARS, now MAMS) and was also part of the 'Clarence' project in 2012-13, just to name a few highlights. 

MMarArchaeol '21

Archaeologist, Professional Level 

Underwater archaeological research section, Underwater Archaeology Division, Fine arts Department, Ministry of Culture, Thailand

Jo Sankhaprasit’s sense of adventure led her to initially studying archaeology at Silpakorn University, Thailand in 2005. With maritime archaeology being absent from the program, she volunteered in the Underwater Archaeology Division to satisfy her curiosity of exploring ancient remains.

This kicked off a now decade-long career, with Jo becoming the first Thai female maritime archaeologist in 2013. She completed her master’s in maritime archaeology at Flinders University last year and has continued to study underwater cultural heritage in Thailand, with approximately 10 archaeological sites under her supervision.

Jo also conducts training courses with field schools in Thailand, Australia and Israel, passing her passion for archaeological investigation on to the next generation of maritime archaeologists. Jo’s current research focuses on maritime trade and connection in the 10th century AD.

MMarArchaeol '11, BLitt(Health) 21

Conservation Resource Manager

Town of Greenwich Conservation Department

Sarah Coccaro’s role at the Conservation Commission blends management, preservation and conservation of natural and cultural resources, while engaging town departments and community partners.

Home to a coastal community, Sarah is mindful of how history and culture is so closely linked to the water, and therefore how important protecting the many maritime sites from climate change is.

Before working in government, Sarah was an informal educator and dive coordinator at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. Not a job for the faint hearted, she would regularly present to an audience while diving with sand tiger sharks – while the wow factor was certainly high, her real goal was to educate the public on shark conservation, the Long Island Sound ecosystem and SCUBA diving.

‘Flinders gave me the working knowledge of conservation, preservation and management of cultural resources through a balance of fieldwork, masterclasses and course work. These opportunities provided me with a holistic understanding and job-ready skills,’ Sarah said.

In her free time, Sarah volunteers with the Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue dive team and the Lewisboro Sustainability Committee and Lewisboro Conservation Advisory Committee.

GradCertMarArchaeol '05, PhD(Humanities) '20

Founding Director

Winwell Foundation (a registered Charitable Trust and an ATO approved research institution focusing on archaeology below the seabed)

Making a mid-career transition from coastal engineering, Trevor Winton’s decision to pursue maritime archaeology was vindicated after completing the Graduate Certificate in Maritime Archaeology. With his focus on a new path in his professional life, years later and with an interest in understanding how sunken ships ‘buried themselves’ under the seabed, Trevor participated in the Marine Geophysics Practicum unit of the Flinders’ Graduate Program. This spurred him on to form the basis of his PhD.

Following a successful PhD research program, Trevor recently established the Winwell Foundation as a registered Charitable Trust, which expands upon his PhD research with its mission to advance non-invasive in-situ survey and interpretation capacity of sub-seabed features at maritime archaeological and submerged cultural sites for educational, scientific, in-situ management and cultural purposes.

Trevor is also a member of the WA Museum Maritime Archaeology Advisory Committee, a member and former President of the Maritime Archaeological Association of WA and Councillor for the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology.