2025’s best archaeology thesis uncovered

Dr Susan Arthure, Research Fellow at the Southeast Asian Ceramics Archaeology Lab, is the winner of the Maureen Byrne Award for Best Postgraduate Thesis for 2025. This award is offered every two years by the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology (ASHA) for the best thesis completed by an MA or PhD student in a university in Australasia.

The judges commented that Dr Arthure’s PhD thesis offers: ‘an exceptional example of a study that uses sophisticated analysis of a substantial dataset to document a previously unrecognised site type in Australia, the Irish clachan. It provides a detailed analysis of the settlement integrating geophysical survey, stratigraphic excavation, and analysis of material culture to produce an innovative understanding of Irish identity in rural Australia during the 19th century. The thesis represents a strong disciplinary contribution that promises to produce real impact in the field, encouraging historical archaeologists to broaden their awareness of possible site types in Australia, and in other settler colonies with Irish populations worldwide.’

 

Top End health nods

Two Flinders projects were acknowledged at the NT Mental Health Week Awards held by NT Mental Health Coalition this month.

The NT Lived Experience Network and Flinders University were awarded the Integration and Collaborative Practice Award. This primarily acknowledges the 6-7 year research and evaluation collaboration Dr Noemi Tari-Keresztes has nurtured with Noelene Armstrong. Noemi also co-delivered the keynote speech at the award night.

‘Mamulbak’ was awarded the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Award. This relates directly to the research team led by Associate Professor Kootsy Canuto, particularly the work of Cam Stokes, Dr Bryce Brickley and medical student Mick Heelan.