Women in Science Speaker Series: Underwater Wonder: Exploring Ancient Archaeology Below the Great Lakes
Dr. Ashley Lemke
Archaeologist, author, Explorers Club Fellow, and Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Enjoy an evening of discovery with Dr. Ashley Lemke!
When you think of underwater archaeology, shipwrecks and catastrophes might come to mind, but this scientific field dives far deeper. Beneath the surface lie ancient landscapes and evidence of the plants, animals, and humans that once called them home for thousands of years.
In this lecture, explore the 9,000 year old submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes that were once coastal lands exposed at the end of the last Ice Age. Learn how these underwater worlds play a role in the global archaeological record and uncover the unique stories they can tell us about the past.
Dr. Ashley Lemke is an anthropologist, archaeologist, and Explorers Club Fellow. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Michigan. An expert on submerged ancient sites, she has received grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Her books include Anthropological Archaeology Underwater and The Architecture of Hunting. She has directed research projects in North America and below its waters, including in the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean, and has conducted archaeological research in Europe in Germany, Spain, Romania, and Serbia. Lemke collaborates with Computer Scientists to explore applications of virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality for archaeological research and discovery. She previously taught at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Outstanding Teaching Award for Tenure Track Faculty, and was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Lemke is a past chair of the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology.
This Women in Science Speaker Series is recommended for ages 12 and up.
Tickets for members are $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 2–12. Tickets for non-members are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 2–12. Children under 2 are free.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
5:00pm: Doors open—explore exhibits, including our newest traveling exhibit Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs, and enjoy light refreshments
6:00pm: Speaker Series & Q&A with Dr. Lemke
7:00pm: Continue exploring the Institute’s exhibits
8:00pm: Event concludes