About

I joined the Birkbeck School of Historical Studies (formerly the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology) in 2019 after holding postdoctoral positions at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the UCL Institute of Archaeology. My research spans the fields of Contemporary Archaeology, Critical Heritage Studies and the Environmental Humanities, and has ranged across a number of different topics—including war, natural and cultural heritage, nuclear and petroleum industries, dictatorships and biobanking—but traces a common set of interests in the relationships between conflicts, resources, recycling and rights across more-than-human worlds in the Anthropocene. I am currently Principal Investigator on a UKRI FLF funded project called “Ecologies of Violence: Heritage and Conflict in More-Than-Human Worlds”, which explores the impact of conflict and violence on humans and more-than-humans in Paraguay, Laos and France.

UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Archaeology and Heritage, Department of History, Classics and Archaeology, Birkbeck, University of London

I am currently research-only but continue to teach across the School both on MA and BA level. I am also the convener of The Politics of the Past: Heritage in a Changing World MA module.

2015, PhD Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol

2009, MA Historical Archaeology of the Modern World AD1500-2000, University of Bristol (Distinction)

2008, BA International Joint Major Archaeology and Hispanic Studies, University College Dublin (First Class Honours)

Postdoctoral Fellow in Archaeology/Critical Heritage, Unruly Heritage: An Archaeology of the Anthropocene (funded by the Research Council of Norway), Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, July 2018 – May 2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Heritage Futures (AHRC Large Grant ‘Assembling Alternative Futures for Heritage’, AH/M004376/1), Institute of Archaeology, UCL, July 2017 – June 2018 (Associate Researcher July 2018-project end September 2019)

Postdoctoral Research Associate, AHRC GCRF Restricted Access Project, Institute of Archaeology, UCL, November 2016 – June 2017

Postgraduate administrator for MSc Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, March 2016 – October 2016

Undergraduate administrator for Intercalated BSc Health Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, June 2016 – October 2016

2021-present, Editor, Journal of Contemporary Archaeology

2021-present, Member of AHRC Network project ‘The Rise of Private Museums and Heritage in East and Southeast Asia’ (https://museumsasia.blogs.bristol.ac.uk)

2019-present, Member of the UKRI AHRC Peer Review College

2019-present, Member of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Peer Review College

2018-2020, Honorary Research Associate, UCL Institute of Archaeology

2017, ‘Outstanding PhD Thesis’ award for Excellence in Science and Research, awarded by the Fond National de la Recherche Luxembourg (FNR, Luxembourg National Research Fund).

2016, ‘Best Doctoral Research Thesis’ award for the Faculty of Arts, awarded by the University of Bristol Research Degrees Exam Board.

2023-2026, Principal Investigator, “Ecologies of Violence: Heritage and Conflict in More-Than-Human Worlds”, funded by the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme – £574,309.23

2021, AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship (together with Prof Jen Baird): Birkbeck, University of London and Museum of London Archaeology. CDP doctoral training grants fund full-time studentships for 45 months (3.75 years) or part-time equivalent. The studentship has the possibility of being extended for an additional 3 months to provide professional development opportunities, or up to 3 months of funding may be used to pay for the costs the student might incur in taking up professional development opportunities. The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home UKRI rate for PhD degrees. Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2021/22 is £4,500 (and a CDP maintenance payment of £550/year). If the studentship is awarded to an international student Birkbeck will waive the difference between home and overseas fees. The award pays full maintenance for all students both home and international students. The National Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2021/22 is £15,609, plus London weighting of £2000/year.

2019-2023, Principal Investigator, “Material Memories”, funded by the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme – £404,238

2018, Principal Investigator, Internal University College London GCRF Pump Priming Award – £12,500 (for pilot research in Laos and Cambodia)

2013, Santander Travel Grant Award for Research in Latin America on Business and Economic-related themes – £2000

2012-2015, FNR Luxembourg Aides à la Formation-Recherche PhD Grant scheme – €54,000 + €6,000 travel allowance

2011, Santander Travel Grant Award for Research in Latin America on Business and Economic-related themes – £2100