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Explore Past NASC Conferences
NASC 2023, University of Melbourne
The 2023 conference had a theme focused on Intersectionality within the archaeological world, exploring how different identities and social categories intersect to shape the past. The keynote speakers included Dr Ash Green, who spoke on "Bird-Catching in Imperial Rome: An Intersectional Approach," and Dr Amanda Goldfarb, whose talk was on "Bridging the gap: Archaeology as an intersectional discipline."
Academic events held at the conference included a panel on publishing in academia, an Object-based Learning Experience talk, a photogrammetry workshop, a careers expo, and a poster night. Social events included a pub night and an awards ceremony.
NASC 2022, Australian National University
In 2022, the theme of NASC was "Reclaim, Restore, Revolutionise," a dynamic exploration of archaeology's role in shaping our understanding of the past and future. Our keynote speakers were David Johnston, Dr Stacey Ward, and Dr Ash Lenton, who all spoke of how their work related to the theme. Events included professional headshots, a Curriculum Vitae in
Archaeology workshop, Publishing in Academia sessions, an Archaeology Passport skills workshop, and a Careers expo. Social events featured a BBQ lunch, dinner, and an awards ceremony.
NASC 2020/2021, Macquarie University
The 2020 and 2021 NASC conferences were combined due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns. The conference came together to discuss the theme of "Resilience," focusing on the enduring nature of the cultures and societies we study.
Keynote speakers included Professor Claire Smith, Professor Ronika Power, Dr Chris Naunton, and Professor Malcolm Choat. The events provided by NASC included an Academic lunch, a Careers lunch, Passport information sessions, academic networking sessions, and industrial networking sessions.
The conference also offered workshops on zooarchaeology, mentoring and leadership, social media and academic communications, and a Geographic Information System (GIS) panel discussion.
NASC 2019, Flinders University
In 2019, NASC focused on the theme of "The Future of Our Past," and we were delighted to have Richard Osgood and Dr Mitchell Allen as our keynote speakers. Richard Osgood spoke on his work and the importance of archaeology in the recovery of traumatised military personnel, while Mitchell Allen’s talk centred on the digital revolution and its impact on archaeological publishing.
Events included a National Archaeology Skills Passport session, special guest lectures, and an AAA information session. We also hosted a wine, cheese, and nibbles reception with a student poster exhibition, a sunset dinner cruise, and an awards ceremony with a raffle
NASC 2018, University of Sydney
In 2018, NASC invited Professor Lynn Meskell, a professor in the Department of Anthropology at Stanford University, who presented her work in collaboration with UNESCO. The conference also supplied a ‘Meet the graduates' evening, ’ which showcased the research of PhD students at the host university, the University of Sydney. This event took place at the Nicholson Museum, accompanied by drinks and nibbles.
NASC 2017, University of Melbourne
In 2017, keynote speaker Dr Virginia Campbell presented two seminars titled “The Changing Face of Archaeology: Rome and Beyond” and “Vote Early, Vote Often? Mechanisms of Electroengineering and Voting in Pompeii.” This conference also featured two special presentations from Dr Viginia Campbell and Tamara Lewit. The special event for NASC 2017 included a concluding reception event at Bar 1806 in Melbourne.
NASC 2016, University of Western Australia
In 2016, our keynote speaker was Professor Ernest Pernicka, who spoke on his work on radiocarbon dating, authenticity, provenance, and isotope analysis in archaeology and cultural heritage. Events at the conference included an information session on how to write an abstract, a workshop on the use of a metal detector and ground penetrating radar in an archaeological survey, a discussion panel, and an awards dinner.
NASC 2015, Macquarie University and University of Sydney
In 2015, NASC's keynote speakers were Professor Amanda Esterhuysen, who spoke on "A retro- and introspection of sport 1994 archaeology in South Africa," along with Dr Aeden Cremin and Dr Phil Harding. The events included a panel discussion with the keynote speakers, a workshop on archaeological illustration with Mary Hartley, an archaeology careers fair, an ABC signing event at the QVB with Phil Harding, and a special opening of the Museum of Ancient Cultures for the public. Social events included a welcome BBQ, cocktails, a closing dinner, and tours of The Rocks and the Quarantine Station.
NASC 2014, Flinders University
The year 2014 was the revival of NASC after a hiatus since 2004. They had Dr Annie Clarke as a keynote speaker who discussed ‘Telling Stories: narrative and multi-disciplinary approaches to archaeology’. Events included in the conference were a book launch, conference dinner, and workshops. The workshops supplied were an art workshop, ‘archaeological excavations overseas: logistics, procedures, techniques and cataloguing. Business as usual?’ Presented by Dr Bob Stone. ‘Pursuing an academic career in archaeology: volunteering, publishing, grant writing and postdocs’, presented by Dr Jillian Garvey and Professor Claire Smith, and ‘Native Plant, Bushtucker, Kaurna Culture and Music Workshop’.
