Photo by Nicole Grinnan

Advisory Council on
Underwater Archaeology

Photo by Thierry Boyer

Advisory Council on
Underwater Archaeology

Photo by Shawn Arnold

Advisory Council on
Underwater Archaeology

Photo by Brett Seymour

Advisory Council on
Underwater Archaeology

ACUA Mentoring Opportunity SHA Conference 2025

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 current 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 2025 ACUA Mentors is provided here.   If you are a student or early career professional and are interested in participating in this program as a Mentee during the 2025 SHA conference, download the questionnaire and send it to mentoring@acuaonline.org no later than December 13, 2024.

6th Sort-of-Annual Noble Duck Race

The ACUA is hosting the 6th Sort-of-Annual Noble Duck Race, in honor of the SHA 2025 New Orleans conference, on Sunday, February 2, 2025, 11:00am (CST). All proceeds go directly to the ACUA’s student travel and scholarship programs (ACUA Student Awards). Owners of ducks winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the final race will be awarded Starbucks gift cards in the amounts of $25, $15, and $10 (USD). 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, February 1, 5pm CST or until they sell out! Buy yours now!




2025 ACUA Student Travel Awards – Congratulations

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Travel Award

Dorian Lee Record is the winner of the 2025 ACUA & RECON Offshore Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Student Travel Award for the New Orleans, Louisiana conference. Learn more about this award and meet Dorian.

George R. Fischer Student Travel Award

Alyssa Pietraszek from the University of Haifa and Alexandra Tyas from the University of Iceland are the winners of the 2025 George R. Fischer Student Travel award for the New Orleans, Louisiana conference. Learn more about this award and meet Alexandra and Alyssa.

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

Fall 2024 ACUA Student Newsletter

The latest issue of the ACUA Student newsletter, produced by the ACUA Graduate Student Associate members, is now available. It features articles on current student research in Lagos, Portugal, assessing intangible UCH, and Wisconsin’s rich maritime heritage. Download the latest copy and sign up to submit your research. This issue is the 31st since the inception of the newsletter in Spring 2013. There is a 14 year archive of past newsletters you can enjoy. Contribute your research article now!

2024 ACUA Proceedings Available

The 2024 Underwater Archaeology Proceedings, edited by Bert Ho and Della Scott-Ireton is now available for sale. Visit the ACUA Storefront and get your hard copy or ePub.

Recent Deep Thoughts

ACUA and Underwater Archaeology at the Midwest Archaeological Conference

Ashley’s blog highlights the Midwest Archaeological Conference’s most recent meeting and the focus on the range of underwater archaeology projects in the region. Read all about it!

ACUA in Paris for UNESCO State Body Meetings

Jen McKinnon attended the UNESCO meeting of accredited NGOs. There are a lot of exciting projects being planned. Check out her blog to learn more.

Beneath the surface of our oceans, lakes, rivers, and wetlands lies a physical record of humankind preserved in prehistoric and historic shorelines, shipwrecks, inundated cities, harbors, and other traces of our past.

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.


Support provided by the Society for Historical Archaeology

2024 Copyright Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology. All rights reserved.