Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology

ACUA Mentoring Opportunity SHA Conference 2024

We are excited to announce the 7th annual ACUA Mentorship Program for the Oakland 2024 conference. The program is designed to connect students, recent graduates, and early career professionals (Mentees) with Mentors from the ACUA Board of Directors to discuss research, professional aspirations, or simply to get acquainted. The program is not designed for the Mentee to shadow the Mentor, but to provide an opportunity for a one-on-one discussion with an established professional/Mentor. There will also be an informal meet-up during the conference, stay tuned for more details! The list of 2024 ACUA Mentors is provided in the attached Mentee Questionnaire. If you are a student or early career professional and are interested in participating in this program during the 2024 SHA conference, download the questionnaire and send it to mentoring@acuaonline.org no later than December 18, 2023.

Sort-of-Annual Noble Duck Race

The ACUA is hosting the 5th Sort-of-Annual Noble Duck Race, in honor of the SHA 2024 Oakland conference, on Sunday, January 28, 2024, 11:00am (CST). All proceeds go directly to the ACUA’s student travel and scholarship programs (ACUA Student Awards). Owners of ducks winning 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd places in the final race will be awarded Starbucks gift cards in the amounts of $25, $15, and $10 (USD) and, this year only, a limited-edition ACUA 50th Anniversary commemorative pin! Purchase your specially bred and trained duck today! Ten shiny U.S. dollars gets you one duck, and you may buy as many as you like. Increase your odds and fill your duck stable! Don’t miss out – ducks will only be on sale until Saturday, January 27, 5pm CST or until they sell out! Buy yours now!

Annual Photo & Video Competition Call for Entries Oakland 2024

SHA members and conference attendees are invited to participate in the annual Archaeological Photo Festival Competition. We are excited to announce a new video category “60 Seconds or Less” for video shorts. Reminder, this is an all digital contest, no printed and mounted images are required. Winning entries will be posted to the ACUA website and social media sites and announced during the conference business meeting. Deadline for entries is December 1. For more information on all of the categories download the updated Call for Entries and Guidelines and SIGN UP here.

2024 ACUA Student Travel Awards – Congratulations

George R. Fischer Student Travel Award

Iness Bernier and Leah Tavisi are the winners of the 2024 George R. Fischer Student Travel award for the Oakland, California conference. Learn more about this award and meet Iness and Leah.

Both awards are part of the ACUA’s efforts to expand opportunities for students.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Travel Award

Dante B. Petersen Stanley is the winner of the 2024 ACUA & RECON Offshore Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Student Travel Award for the Oakland, California conference. Learn more about this award and meet Dante.

Recent Deep Thoughts

In Memory of James “Jimmy” Pruitt

James “Jimmy” Pruitt passed on February 2, 2023.

Underwater Archaeology in the Great Lakes: Working with the Community and a New Program

Ashley Lemke shares exciting new research in Lake Huron on 10,000 year old landscapes with students and announces a new underwater archaeology program at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Core Principles

Ethics, respect, diversity and equity are the core principles around which we should all strive to lead our professional and personal lives. The ACUA strongly encourages all professional organizations to promote ethical principles, non-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-racist policies among their memberships.

Vision Statement

The ACUA serves as an international advisory body on issues relating to underwater archaeology, conservation, and submerged cultural resources management. It is working to educate scholars, governments, sport divers, and the general public about underwater archaeology and the preservation of underwater resources.