Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm. Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous & Environmental Histories; JCU, Cairns.
Sean is a professional anthropological archaeologist with core expertise in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander coastal and island archaeology. Over the last 25 years he has led large collaborative networks of Indigenous communities and researchers (archaeologists, geomorphologists, chemists, geologists, ecologists, palynologists, palaeoclimatologists, oceanographers, and zooarchaeologists) to recast understandings of coastal occupation by integrating environmental data with detailed analyses of archaeological sites.
Sean’s research increases confidence in the resolution of data underpinning models of past human behaviour. For example, Sean leads a research program designed to improve methods used to establish chronologies and taphonomic sequences (i.e. understanding when and how archaeological deposits form).
He is highly regarded for his coordination of large-scale, multidisciplinary projects in partnership with Indigenous communities investigating people-environment relationships across Australia, incorporating a team-based approach to tackling persistent research questions in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, government, and industry, with a multi-authored approach to publication.
His publications include >140 articles on the archaeology of Australia & 5 books; he has conducted research in Australia, Honduras, Chile, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.
Awards
- 2022 High Performance Computing Innovation Excellence Award
- 2019 JCU Distinguished Professor
- 2017 Rhys Jones Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Archaeology
- 2014 The Bruce Veitch Award for Excellence in Indigenous Engagement
- 2008 Life Membership for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Archaeological Association Inc.
- 2007 Martin Davies Award for Best Public Archaeology Initiative
- 2004 Dean’s Commendation for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Thesis, UQ
- 2000 Royal Society of Queensland – Colliver Prize
- 1995 University Medal, UQ
Fellowships
· 2015 Fellow, Australian Academy of the Humanities
· 2011 Fellow, Cairns Institute
· 2011 Fellow, Society of Antiquaries of London
· 2007 Honorary Research Fellow, Queensland Museum
· 2017–19 Honorary Fellow, School of Social Sciences, UWA
· 2013–17 Future Fellow, Australian Research Council
· 2011–14 Honorary Senior Fellow, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, UQ
Memberships
· 2018 International Council for Archaeozoology
· 2017 Computer Applications & Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) Australia
· 2014 The Prehistoric Society
· 2011 Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science
· 2011 Centre for Language and Culture Research
· 2006 Society for American Archaeology
· 2003 Archaeological and Anthropological Society of Victoria
· 2002 Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association
· 2002 Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
· 2002 Australasian Quaternary Association
· 2001 Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc.
· 2000 Royal Society of Queensland
· 1998 Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
· 1989 Australian Archaeological Association
Other
· 2023 Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous & Environmental Histories & Futures
· 2022 Member, Australian Museum Research Institute Science Advisory Board
· 2021 Research Integrity Advisor, JCU
· 2020 Editor-In-Chief, Australian Archaeology
· 2019 Member, Council Australian Academy of the Humanities
· 2017 to 2022 - Deputy Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (Cairns)
· 2017 Theme Leader, Cultural & Linguistic Transformations, The Cairns Institute
· 2014 Editorial Board, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society
· 2013 Editorial Board, The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology
· 2010 Editorial Board, Queensland Historical Atlas
· 1999 Editor-In-Chief, Queensland Archaeological Research
· 2018–23 Chair, Scientific Committee, International Council of Archaeozoology Conference (7-12 August 2023)
· 2021–22 Associate Dean Research, College of Arts, Society & Education, JCU
· 2017–22 Deputy Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity & Heritage
· 2020–21 Associate Dean Research Education, JCU
· 2018 Member, 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) Research Evaluation Committee (REC) for Humanities & Creative Arts Committee (HCA)
· 2015–16 Deputy Chair, Humanities & Creative Arts (HCA), Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts
· 2013–16 Fellow, Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts
· 2012–16 Deputy Director, Centre for Tropical Environmental & Sustainability Science, JCU
· 2006–15 Member, World Archaeological Congress Code of Ethics Committee
· 2016 to 2018 - Professor, JCU (Cairns)
· 2013 to 2017 - Associate Professor/ARC Future Fellow, JCU (Cairns)
· 2011 to 2012 - Lecturer, JCU (Cairns)
· 2011–14 Editorial Advisory Board, Australian Archaeology
· 2011–13 National Chair, Australian National Committee for Archaeology Teaching & Learning
· 2003–13 Representative, Southeastern Asia and the Pacific, World Archaeological Congress
· 2011–12 Convenor, Archaeology & Geoscience Specialist Committee, Australian Institute of Nuclear Sciences & Engineering
· 2006–11 Editor, Australian Archaeology
· 2008–10 Member, Archaeology and Geoscience Specialist Committee, Australian Institute of Nuclear Sciences & Engineering
· 2003–08 Managing Editor, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
· 2002–03 President, Australian Archaeological Association
· 2005–10 - Lecturer, UQ (Brisbane)
· 1999–05 - Senior Researcher, UQ (Brisbane)
· 2000–04 - Lecturer, UNE (Brisbane)
· 1993–98 - Researcher, UQ (Brisbane)
Journal articles
Bradshaw C, Crabtree S, White D, Ulm S, Bird M, Williams A and Saltré F (2023) Directionally supervised cellular automaton for the initial peopling of Sahul. Quaternary Science Reviews, 303.
Kowal E, Weyrich L, Argüelles J, Bader A, Colwell C, Cortez A, Davis J, Figueiro G, Fox K, Malhi R, Matisso-Smith E, Nayak A, Nelson E, Nicholas G, Nieves-Colón M, Russell L, Ulm S, Vergara-Silva F, Villanea F, Wagner J, Yracheta J and Tsosie K (2023) Community partnerships are fundamental to ethical ancient DNA research. Human Genetics and Genomics Advances, 4 (2).
Linnenlucke L, Bird M, Petchey F, Alliston G, Mcniven I, David B and Ulm S (2023) Assessing the Reliability of a Small-Scale Legacy Radiocarbon Dataset Using Chronometric Transparency Approaches: Torres Strait Radiocarbon Database. Journal of Open Archaeology Data, 11 (2). pp. 1-9
Rivera-Araya M, Rowe C, Ulm S and Bird M (in press) A 33,000-year paleohydrological record from Sanamere Lagoon, north-eastern tropical savannas of Australia. Quaternary Research,
Bird M, Haig J, Ulm S and Wurster C (2022) A carbon and nitrogen isotope perspective on ancient human diet in the British Isles. Journal of Archaeological Science, 137.
Codilean A, Munack H, Saktura W, Cohen T, Jacobs Z, Ulm S, Hesse P, Heyman J, Peters K, Williams A, Saktura R, Rui X, Chishiro-Dennelly K and Panta A (2022) OCTOPUS database (v.2).Earth System Science Data, 14. pp. 3695-3713
Ditchfield K, Ulm S, Manne T, Farr H, O'Grady D and Veth P (2022) Framing Australian Pleistocene coastal occupation and archaeology. Quaternary Science Reviews, 293.
McCarthy J, Wiseman C, Woo K, Steinberg D, O'Leary M, Wesley D, Brady L, Ulm S and Benjamin J (2022) Beneath the Top End: a regional assessment of submerged archaeological potential in the Northern Territory, Australia. Australian Archaeology, 88 (1). pp. 65-83
Rehn E, Rowe C, Ulm S, Woodward C, Zawadzki A, Jacobsen G and Bird M (2022) Integrating charcoal morphology and stable carbon isotope analysis to identify non-grass elongate charcoal in tropical savannas. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 31 (1). pp. 37-48
Rivera Araya M, Rowe C, Levchenko V, Ulm S and Bird M (2022) A radiocarbon chronology for Sanamere Lagoon, Cape York Peninsula, using multiple organic fractions. Quaternary Geochronology, 70.
Book chapters
In: The Archaeology of Tanamu 1: A Pre-Lapita to Post-Lapita Site from Caution Bay, South Coast of Mainland Papua New Guinea. Caution Bay Studies in Archaeology, 2. Archaeopress, Oxford, United Kingdom, pp. 107-116
Williams A, Ulm S and Smith M (2022) Past Aboriginal populations and demographic change using radiocarbon data and time-series analysis. In: The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Oxford Handbooks Online. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.
ResearchOnline@JCU stores 176+ research outputs by Prof Sean Ulm from 1995 onwards.
Interests
Professional: Equity, diversity and inclusion; Professional development; Benchmarking; Building knowledge communities; Mentoring
Research: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander archaeology; Archaeology of New Guinea & Pacific Islands; Archaeology of the Great Barrier Reef; Archaeological science; Coastal & island archaeology; Radiocarbon dating of marine materials; Indigenous & environmental histories & futures; Cultural heritage management & climate change.
Teaching: Improving archaeology teaching & learning; Problem-based learning; Research-led teaching
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