Chairs
Nia Naelul Hasanah Ridwan is an underwater/maritime archaeologist and the Director of Research Institute for Coastal Resources and Coastal Vulnerability at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia. Herinterests are shipwreck vulnerability, the interrelation of UCH site and its environment, sustainable UCH tourism and heritage management, UCH community engagement and local museum, maritime trade, and UCH illegal salvage and illicit trafficking. She is co-chair of the APConf 5.
Veronica Walker Vadillo is a maritime archaeologist based at the University of Helsinki. Her interests are maritime cultural landscapes in riverine spaces, ritual practices surrounding the construction of dugouts, and traditional ecological knowledge. She is co-chair of APConf 5.
Brian Fahy is a maritime archaeologist with an interest in shipwreck narratives and maritime networks. His research focus is on material analysis from shipwreck sites. He is co-chair of the APConf 5.
Local Organizing Committee
Kim Seong Bae is the Director General of National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration. He is the chair of venue committee of APConf 5. As the general director, he is in charge of every work relevant to the maritime cultural heritage happening in the institute, including display, excavation, education, etc.
Lee Kyu-hoon is the head of National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration. Based on his background of terrestrial archaeology, he supervises every work of the underwater excavation division.
Yang Soon-seok is a senior researcher of the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration. He is a maritime archaeologist as well as conservator of recovered underwater cultural heritage.
Lee Jeong-hee is a junior researcher of the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration. She is in charge of international exchange and cooperation, as well as the liaison of venue committee.
Coordinators
Elena Perez-Alvaro is a NRF SARCHI Postdoctoral Fellow at Nelson Mandela University and an Expert Member of the ICOMOS International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Her interests are the Intangibility and Sustainability of underwater cultural heritage. She is the Panel and Abstract submissions and evaluations coordinator of APConf 5.
Jennifer Craig is an underwater archaeologist untethered. Her interests are connecting our human-water interaction to our terrestrial narrative. She is lead publications coordinator of APConf 5.
Natali Pearson researches and teaches at the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, the University of Sydney. She is a heritage studies scholar with a particular interest in the politics, ethics and management of underwater cultural heritage in Southeast Asia. Natali is our PR and Social Media lead during APConf 5.
Michelle Damian is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Her research focus is on medieval Japanese maritime trade and seafaring. She is the Website and Graphic Design coordinator along with Kurt Knoerl for APConf 5.
T. Kurt Knoerl is an Assistant Professor of History at Georgia Southern University where he teaches maritime history, maritime archaeology, and digital history. He is is the Website and Graphic Design coordinator along with Michelle Damian for APConf 5.
Young-Hwa Jung is an underwater archaeologist and conservation scientist at the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage (NRIMCH) in Korea. He mainly focuses on developing exploration technologies and policies for the investigation and protection of underwater cultural heritage. He is the Fundraising and Sponsorship committee coordinator for APConf 5.
Organizing Team
Bill Jeffery is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Guam. His maritime archaeology interests include revealing the multi-vocality and maritime cultural identity inherent in maritime archaeological sites in the Asia-Pacific region. As former chair of the APConf, he provides support in various roles during the APConf 5.
Hans Van Tilburg is a maritime heritage manager for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and a member of ICOMOS-ICUCH. His focus is UCH preservation in the Asia-Pacific region. As former chair of the APConf, he provides support in various roles during the APConf 5.
Akifumi Iwabuchi is professor of maritime and underwater archaeology at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. He is a member of ICOMOS-ICUCH and Vice-President of the Japan Society for Nautical Research. He is our Japanese liaison during the APConf 5.
Jennifer McKinnon is an archaeologist and Professor in the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University. She works in the Pacific and focusses on conflict archaeology and community and public archaeology. She is the North America liaison and will support the Panel and Abstract Submissions committee during the APConf 5.
Ellen Lekka is the Programme Specialist for Culture at the UNESCO Office for the Pacific States based in Samoa. As part of her role she supports Pacific States with capacity development initiatives to protect underwater cultural heritage in the frame of the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. She is the UNESCO liaison for APConf 5.
Abhirada Komoot is a maritime archaeologist currently based at Thammasat University. Her research interest is broad, including ship archaeology, maritime cultural heritage management, and legal issues. Her role at the APConf5 is as the Southeast Asian liaison.
Sila Tripati is a maritime archaeologist from India working on shipwrecks, maritime heritage and man and sea relationships. He is a member of the editorial committee during APConf 5.
Wijerathne Bohingamuwa is a maritime archaeologist based at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. His research interests are Indian Ocean maritime networks and Sri Lanka’s Premodern external connectivity. During the APConf 5 he will act as our Sri Lankan liaison.
Sunny O. Ngirmang is Chief of Division of Archaeology at Bureau of Cultural and Historical Preservation, Bureau of Cultural and Historical Preservation in Koror, Palau. During the APConf 5 she will act as our Oceania liaison.
Carlota Perez-Reverte is an underwater archaeologist and researcher at the University of Cádiz (Spain). She focuses on public archaeology and strategies for the management and communication of maritime and underwater cultural heritage.At APConf 5 she is the Latin America liaison and supports Elena Perez Alvaro in the Panel and Abstract Submissions and Evaluations committee.
Ross Anderson is a Curator with the Western Australian Museum, with research interests in maritime and underwater cultural heritage, cross-cultural contact, and museology. He is currently President of the Australian Association for Maritime History. Ross supports the Fundraising and Sponsorship committee.
Jay Mok is a doctoral student in Archaeology based at the University of Edinburgh. Jay has completed her postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford. She supports the APConf 5 as a member of the Public Relations and Social Media committee.
