Summer and Winter Research Programs

The student will assist with: (i) scoping the project, (ii) identifying relevant Australian news media sources; (iii) compiling articles for analysis; (iv) analysis of the data corpus; (v) reporting findings.

Summer scholars will gain insights into qualitative study design, research process (including data collection, data management and analysis), as well as the communication of findings. They will learn how to use NVivo for qualitative data analysis and develop their critical and conceptual thinking. These are fundamental skills and experiences to prepare for Honours or PhD studies in the social sciences.

In 1788, a small party was sent 1,400 kilometres east of Sydney to settle Norfolk Island. The settlement at Kingston and Arthur's Vale had no safe harbour and no reliable supply line, and when the Sirius was wrecked in 1790 the people there were left to feed themselves. They turned to the island's own resources, including the local seabird colonies, which collapsed under hunting within a few years.

This project asks how people actually ate at the edge of empire. Documents record what officials said was issued, planted or rationed, but not what convicts, marines and officers really ate, how quickly the colony shifted from imported provisions to local resources, or whether food was distributed evenly across a deeply unequal community. Archaeological remains of the foods actually eaten by the community are preserved on Norfolk Island, including animal bone, shell and charred plant remains, and will be collected and analysed to address these questions directly.

The project sits within the Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) First Settlement Archaeological Project, an ARC Discovery Project, investigating Norfolk Island's first period of occupation (1788–1814). A November 2026 field season will generate a substantial faunal and archaeobotanical assemblage, and this project begins the work of turning it into evidence through supervised analysis of remains in the UQ Archaeology Lab.

Projects are offered in both zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical analysis, pending November excavations and the available assemblage.

Students will go through the process of extracting food remains from samples recovered from Norfolk Island in 2026, assess what is present and begin identification of the remains. The first step will be sieving and sorting the samples into material classes, then work with comparative reference collections to identify remains as far as the material and skills allow. Results will be entered into the project database. Students will also assist with basic laboratory housekeeping, sample tracking and labelling, and photography of diagnostic specimens. Toward the end of the project, they will help compile preliminary results of the assemblage and prepare a short presentation of their findings, detailing its potential for future research.

Students will gain hands-on training in post-excavation processing: sieving and sorting excavation samples, assessing their contents, using comparative reference collections for identification, quantifying assemblages, and cataloguing and recording specimens. They will develop important lab skills through consistent recording, database entry, and an understanding of how recording decisions shape research. These skills and processes are standard in many archaeological excavations globally.
 
Students will also build transferable professional skills: working independently to a protocol, managing detailed work to a consistent standard, communicating methods, and presenting preliminary results to an audience. These are the skills consulting archaeology hires for, since post-excavation processing is routine paid work in the industry, and they also form a strong foundation for Honours or postgraduate research.

Students enrolled in archaeology are well placed for this project, especially BA Extended Major and Major students in Archaeology or BSc Major students in Archaeological Science. Second or third-year students with relevant coursework experience are particularly encouraged. Prior study in archaeological method, ARCS2080 and ARCS2090 is an advantage but not a requirement.

Sorting sieve residue is repetitive, detailed work, and the students who thrive at it are the ones who enjoy patient, careful tasks and take satisfaction in getting a record exactly right. You will need good attention to detail, comfort working with a microscope for extended periods, legible and consistent recording habits, and basic spreadsheet competence. An interest in convict, colonial or Pacific history, or in past human/environment relationships, will make the material and project far more rewarding to work with. The capacity to work independently once trained and to ask for clarification when required, is essential.

The project is supervised by Dr Caitlin D'Gluyas, Lecturer in Archaeology in the School of Social Science, University of Queensland, whose research focuses on convict and colonial historical archaeology. You will be based in the archaeology laboratories at the St Lucia campus, with technical support from Professor Andy Fairbairn who has designed, implemented and published sample recovery and analysis programs at numerous sites, including Roman London, Pompeii, World Heritage Catalhoyuk and Kultepe. Zooarchaeological support will also be provided by specialist Associate Professor Tiina Manne, who has decades of experience with faunal analysis across Australia and elsewhere around the world. 

You will be trained directly in sorting and identification protocols on the first samples, then shift to regular scheduled meetings as you become confident with the material. You will also have contact with the wider KAVHA First Settlement Archaeological Project team and other project collaborators and specialists, and access to the School's comparative reference collections and lab spaces.

The project offers a pathway into Honours or postgraduate research, with scope to develop a thesis topic from the KAVHA assemblages, and possible consideration for participation in future Norfolk Island field seasons. Students will also build a network across the project team, spanning UQ, UNE and heritage professionals working on Norfolk Island in  KAVHA.

Archaeology lab induction and associated training will be required, which can be undertaken at the start of the project. 

Please contact Dr Caitlin D'Gluyas (c.dgluyas@uq.edu.au) for further information. More details on the application process can be found on through UQ Employability.

The student will gain:

• Hands-on experience in archaeological science, including laboratory-based lipid extraction techniques and operation of GC-MS instrumentation
• Skills in analytical chemistry and biomarker identification, alongside a grounding in organic residue analysis methodology
• Transferable skills in scientific writing, critical evaluation of archaeological evidence, and integrating molecular data with broader historical and cultural narratives
• Familiarity with research design, laboratory safety protocols, and working within a supervised research environment.

• Students interested in archaeological science, biomolecular analysis, or archaeological chemistry
• Background in chemistry and archaeology as well as previous wet lab experience are very desirable
• Suited to students considering honours in archaeological science

The student will be encouraged to present their findings at seminars or conferences in oral or poster format, developing skills in scientific communication. Strong results may contribute to co-authored publications or be incorporated into larger research outputs led by the supervising team. The project also offers networking opportunities with other members of the research team including HDRs and collaborating specialists. For students considering postgraduate study, the project can strengthen applications for honours, further degrees, or scholarships.

Laboratory safety training will be provided.