Director/ Principal Archaeologist

Email: Serena@4cornersheritage.com.au

M: 0415 045 400

Education and Qualifications

2010 Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Anthropology, Stanford University

2005 Master of Philosophy, Institute of Archaeology, University College London

1999 Master of Sciences, Department of Prehistory, University of Sheffield

1996 Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology, University of California, Berkeley

Expertise

• Team leadership and management

• Archaeological assessments - survey and excavation

• Duty of Care compliance

• Landscape archaeology and predictive modelling

• Geoarchaeology and sediment analysis

• Absolute dating (OSL and radiocarbon)

• Historic Impact Assessments, Significant Assessments

• Part 6 Cultural Heritage Studies

• Report research and writing

• Community engagement

• Outreach programs

• Teaching

Nominated Projects

2019-Present Barada Barna Aboriginal Corporation

Technical advisor for BBAC, undertaking cultural surveys, reporting (EIS and ILUA), archaeological excavations, research and ethnographic surveys.

2018-2023 Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation

Technical advisor for BAC. Undertook cultural surveys, cultural mapping, reporting, Part 6 cultural heritage study, archaeological excavations, and research. Assisted to secure grant money and delivered 3-year ranger program.

2017-2023 Wulli Wulli Nation Aboriginal Corporation

Technical advisor for WWNAC. Undertook cultural surveys, reporting, archaeological excavations, and research. Secured grant money and delivered 3-year ranger program.

2017-2021 Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation

Technical advisor for QYAC. Undertook cultural surveys, reporting, archaeological excavations, and research. Contributed to over 33 Part 6 Cultural Heritage Studies, all of which are lodged with the Cultural Heritage Register.

2020- 2022 Manaji Projects

Represented two groups, BCJWY and Iman 2, working for QGC in the Surat Basin. Project management, archaeological surveys, and report writing.

2021-2023 Everick Foundation Archaeological Field School

Developed and delivered a 4–6-week teaching and training excavation designed to provide practical excavation skills and exposure to cultural heritage management.

Select Publications [Full list of publications is here]

2023. Adams, S., K. Norman, J. Kemp, Z. Jacobs, M. Costelloe, A. Fairbairn, R. Robins, E. Stock, P. Moss, T. Smith, S. Love, T. Manne, K. Lowe, I. Logan, M. Manoel, K. McFadden, D. Burns, Z. Falkiner, C. Clarkson. ‘Early Human Occupation of Australia’s Eastern Seaboard’ Science Reports 14: 2579.

Community Outreach and Media Engagement

2024. Queensland Museum. Delivering lecture series to compliment ancient Egypt exhibition.

2023 Guest on the Ancient Lives podcast episode entitled, “1,000 Bread, 1,000 Beer: Reconstructing ancient bread”

2021-2023 Everick YouTube Channel. Worked directly with videographer to write, edit and produce video content for Everick Foundation, including several unpublished videos produced for Aboriginal communities

2022. Presenter, Science Tent, Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay

2022. Presenter, lecture for Ipswich Public Library about the archaeological excavations in Karalee Bremer River, called Town Marie

2021-2022 National Archaeology Week, Cross River Rail (Brisbane). Delivered professional development webinar for teachers using the archaeological materials from the project’s excavations.

National Archaeology Week, Cross River Rail (Brisbane). Developed a teaching video for Year 4 students on object lifecycle about a leather shoe, using the archaeological evidence from a historic leather workshop.

2020. Harvard Microbial Institute, Ancient Yeast, From Tomb to Table

2020. Interviewed for podcast, Proof: America’s Test Kitchen for an episode entitled, “Raiders of the lost yeast”

2019. Radio Interview for ABC Blueprint for Living with Jonathan Green, show called Lost and Found- Rise

2019. Newspaper column “Curious Kids” in The Conversation about Chinchurro mummies

2018. Presenter for World Science Festival, Brisbane

2018. Queensland Museum. Collaborated with Bacchus Brewery to brew three ancient Egyptian beers for their After Dark events program

2018. Newspaper interview by Amy Mitchell-Whittington for Brisbane News, April 20 “Bloodthirst drunk Egyptian goddess inspires new beer on tap in Brisbane”

2018. Guest presenter on ABC (Radio) Conversations with Sarah Kanowski, April 19.

2018. Newspaper interview by Amanda Horswill for Brisbane Times, March 20. “Archaeologists reveal their dirty secrets”.

2018. Newspaper interview by TJ Wilkshire for Upsider, March 15 “Egyptian-inspired beer at the Egyptian Mummies Exhibition”.

2018. Guest presenter for Channel 9 children’s program BrainBuzz for episode 105 on “Things that are Old”.

2018. BrisScience- public lecture on Ancient Egyptian Mummies

Community Grants

2023. Looking After Country, “Native Plant Nursery and Vegetation Skills Development” for Wulli Wulli Nation Aboriginal Corporation ($75,000). Funded by Queensland State Government

2023. Looking After Country, “Taroom Aboriginal Settlement Conservation and Skills Development” for Wardingarri Aboriginal Corporation ($75,000). Funded by Queensland State Government

2022. Butchulla Water Stories – Greater Reef Catchment Story Gathering, Mapping and Cultural Values ($175,500). Funded by Great Barrier Reef Foundation

2021. Yuggera Ugarapul Black Summer Bushfire Grant, “Main Range Bushfires – Yuggera Ugarapul Heritage Resilience ($550,769). Funded by National Emergency Management Agency

2021. Wulli Wulli Preparing Australian Communities, “Dawson River Heritage Resilience Project – Gyranda section” ($494,967). Funded by National Emergency Management Agency

2021. Butchulla Black Summer Bushfire Grant, “K’gari Bushfires – Butchulla Fire Management and Heritage Conservation” ($524,169). Funded by National Emergency Management Agency

2021. Looking After Country, “Wulgurukaba Rangers on Yunbenun (Magnetic Island)” ($75,000). Funded by Queensland State Government

2021. Cultural Mapping Project for Wulli Wulli ($10,000). Funded by National Bank Australia (NAB)

2021. Cultural Mapping Healthy Waters for Quandamooka ($10,000). Funded by Seqwater

Teaching Experience

Present. Honorary Research Fellowship, School of Social Science, University of Queensland

2024. UQ Skills. Industry Specialist, teaching a Certificate 3 in Indigenous Cultural Heritage Management

2015-2016. Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Anatolian Civilizations, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey

2012-2015. University of Queensland, School of Social Science, Brisbane. Environmental Archaeology; Egyptian Archaeology; Honours Research

2011-2012. Brown University, Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Providence, Rhode Island. Marriage of Social Science and Archaeological Science; How Houses Build People

2010-2011. De Ana College, Department of Anthropology, San Jose, California. Cultural Anthropology

2011. Stanford University, Summer Institute, Palo Alto, California. Introduction to Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology

2011. Stanford University, Continuing Studies Program, Palo Alto, California. Origins of Civilizations; Archaeology of the Pyramid Age

2004-2010. Stanford University, Department of Anthropology, Palo Alto, California. Archaeology of Death; Neolithic Archaeology; Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

Certificates

• Construction Industry Safety Induction (White Card)

• Standard 11 Surface Mining Induction

• First Aid in Remote Areas Certificate

• 4WD Drive Certificate

• Blue Card (working with children)