Archaological Heritage Consultant
Honorary Research Fellow
Overview
My research interests involve integrating interdisciplinary methods with particular emphasis in archaeological geophysics, remote sensing, GIS and geoarchaeology in archaeological research. Recent work explores the potential use and comparability of soil magnetic susceptibility with other techniques like soil chemistry and geochronology, to understand the nature and persistence of Pleistocene human occupation in Australia. Outside Australia, I have been involved in several international projects in the Carribbean, Europe, Indonesia, North and South America and Southeast Asia.
I also have significant relevant industry experience as a consultant in cultural heritage management in both Australia and the US and have worked casually as a Senior Heritage Advisor in Australia since 2011. Before commencing my PhD, I was a full-time Project Manager at Coastal Environments Incorporated in the US after completing my MA at the University of Mississippi. My role involved the management of cultural resources for both federal (e.g. Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Coast Guard) and state (e.g. Mississippi Department of Transportation and Mississippi Department of Archives and History) agencies along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Research Interests
- Archaeological geophysics
- Geoarchaeology
- Geographic information systems
Research Impacts
My research focuses on developing techniques that assist in understandings of past human behaviour, cultural landscapes and the spread of modern humans through archaeological geophysical applications. These findings have been disseminated in 21 scientific journal articles and 42 international and national conference papers. My PhD research (2014) was instrumental in identifying the earliest Pleistocene occupations at two archaeological sites where the stratigraphic integrity was questioned because the deposits were primarily sand, and where there was no clear way to corroborate the lithic record in these deposits to the geochronology. I was able to resolve the questions about the onset of human occupation and its association with specific stratigraphic levels through a novel technique that can be applied globally to identify human occupation. As a benchmark for archaeological geophysics, this work led to my involvement in significant and high-profile research projects in Australia and Indonesia, and as an Associate Investigator for the Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH).
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Publications
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Journal Article: Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker’s Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia
Lowe, Kelsey M., Arthure, Susan, Wallis, Lynley A. and Feinberg, Josh (2020) Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker’s Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 12 1: . doi:10.1007/s12520-019-01003-2
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Journal Article: The Carriacou ecodynamics archaeology project: first results of geophysical survey and landscape archaeology at the Sabazan site, The Grenadines
Giovas, Christina M., Kappers, Michiel, Lowe, Kelsey M. and Termes, Laura (2019) The Carriacou ecodynamics archaeology project: first results of geophysical survey and landscape archaeology at the Sabazan site, The Grenadines. Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, . doi:10.1080/15564894.2019.1642969
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Journal Article: The soil science & archaeo-geophysics alliance (SAGA): going beyond prospection
Cuenca-Garcia, Carmen, Armstrong, Kayt, Aidona, Elina, De Smedt, Philippe, Rosveare, Anne, Rosveare, Martin, Schneidhofer, Petra, Wilson, Clare, Faßbinder, Jörg, Moffat, Ian, Sarris, Apostolos, Scheiblecker, Marion, Jrad, Abir, van Leusen, Martijn and Lowe, Kelsey (2018) The soil science & archaeo-geophysics alliance (SAGA): going beyond prospection. Research Ideas and Outcomes, 4 . doi:10.3897/rio.4.e31648
Grants
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Improving one way of investigating Australian rockshelters
(2019) International Society for Archaeological Prospection Fund
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
Publications
Journal Article
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Lowe, Kelsey M., Arthure, Susan, Wallis, Lynley A. and Feinberg, Josh (2020) Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker’s Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 12 1: . doi:10.1007/s12520-019-01003-2
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Giovas, Christina M., Kappers, Michiel, Lowe, Kelsey M. and Termes, Laura (2019) The Carriacou ecodynamics archaeology project: first results of geophysical survey and landscape archaeology at the Sabazan site, The Grenadines. Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, . doi:10.1080/15564894.2019.1642969
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The soil science & archaeo-geophysics alliance (SAGA): going beyond prospection
Cuenca-Garcia, Carmen, Armstrong, Kayt, Aidona, Elina, De Smedt, Philippe, Rosveare, Anne, Rosveare, Martin, Schneidhofer, Petra, Wilson, Clare, Faßbinder, Jörg, Moffat, Ian, Sarris, Apostolos, Scheiblecker, Marion, Jrad, Abir, van Leusen, Martijn and Lowe, Kelsey (2018) The soil science & archaeo-geophysics alliance (SAGA): going beyond prospection. Research Ideas and Outcomes, 4 . doi:10.3897/rio.4.e31648
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The Queensland Native Police and strategies of recruitment on the Queensland frontier, 1849–1901
Burke, Heather, Barker, Bryce, Cole, Noelene, Wallis, Lynley A., Hatte, Elizabeth, Davidson, Iain and Lowe, Kelsey (2018) The Queensland Native Police and strategies of recruitment on the Queensland frontier, 1849–1901. Journal of Australian Studies, 42 3: 297-313. doi:10.1080/14443058.2018.1474942
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Lowe, Kelsey M., Cole, Noelene, Burke, Heather, Wallis, Lynley A., Barker, Bryce and Hatte, Elizabeth (2018) The archaeological signature of ‘ant bed’ mound floors in the northern tropics of Australia: case study on the Lower Laura (Boralga) Native Mounted Police Camp, Cape York Peninsula. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 19 686-700. doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.04.008
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Kenady, Selene L., Lowe, Kelsey M., Ridd, Peter V. and Ulm, Sean (2018) Creating volume estimates for buried shell deposits: a comparative experimental case study using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity under varying soil conditions. Archaeological Prospection, 25 121-136. doi:10.1002/arp.1594
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Kenady, Selene L., Lowe, Kelsey M. and Ulm, Sean (2017) Determining the boundaries, structure and volume of buried shell matrix deposits using ground-penetrating radar: A case study from northern Australia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 17 538-549. doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.12.015
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Human occupation of northern Australia by 65,000 years ago
Clarkson, Chris, Jacobs, Zenobia, Marwick, Ben, Fullagar, Richard, Wallis, Lynley, Smith, Mike, Roberts, Richard G., Hayes, Elspeth, Lowe, Kelsey, Carah, Xavier, Florin, S. Anna, McNeil, Jessica, Cox, Delyth, Arnold, Lee J., Hua, Quan, Huntley, Jillian, Brand, Helen E. A., Manne, Tiina, Fairbairn, Andrew, Shulmeister, James, Lyle, Lindsey, Salinas, Makiah, Page, Mara, Connell, Kate, Park, Gayoung, Norman, Kasih, Murphy, Tessa and Pardoe, Colin (2017) Human occupation of northern Australia by 65,000 years ago. Nature, 547 7663: 306-310. doi:10.1038/nature22968
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Twaddle, Robin W. , Sloss, Craig R. , Lowe, Kelsey M. , Moss, Patrick , Mackenzie, Lydia L. and Ulm, Sean (2017) Short-term late Holocene dry season occupation and sandy-mud flat focused foraging at Murdumurdu, Bentinck Island, Gulf of Carpentaria. Queensland Archaeological Research, 20 9-46. doi:10.25120/qar.20.2017.3588
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Lowe, Kelsey M., Fogel, Aaron and Sneddon, Andrew (2017) Archaeological geophysical survey of a Prehistoric Bronze Age site in Cyprus (Alambra Mouttes)—applications and limitations. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 1-19. doi:10.1007/s12520-017-0508-3
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Aboriginal stone huts along the Georgina River, southwest Queensland
Wallis, Lynley A., Davidson, Iain, Burke, Heather, Mitchell, Scott, Barker, Bryce, Hatte, Elizabeth, Cole, Noelene and Lowe, Kelsey (2017) Aboriginal stone huts along the Georgina River, southwest Queensland. Queensland Archaeological Research, 20 1-8. doi:doi.org/10.25120/qar.20.2017.3584
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The homestead as fortress: fact or folklore?
Burke, Heather, Wallis, Lynley A., Barker, Bryce, Tutty, Megan, Cole, Noelene, Davidson, Iain, Hatte, Elizabeth and Lowe, Kelsey (2017) The homestead as fortress: fact or folklore?. Aboriginal History, 41 151-176. doi:10.22459/AH.41.2017.07
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Lowe, Kelsey, Mentzer, Susan M., Wallis, Lynley A. and Shulmeister, James (2016) A multi-proxy study of anthropogenic sedimentation and human occupation of Gledswood Shelter 1: exploring an interior sandstone rockshelter in Northern Australia. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 10 2: 279-304. doi:10.1007/s12520-016-0354-8
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Lowe, Kelsey M., Shulmeister, James, Feinberg, Joshua M., Manne, Tiina, Wallis, Lynley A. and Welsh, Kevin (2016) Using soil magnetic properties to determine the onset of Pleistocene human settlement at Gledswood Shelter 1, Northern Australia. Geoarchaeology, 31 3: 211-228. doi:10.1002/gea.21544
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Clarkson, Chris, Smith, Mike, Marwick, Ben, Fullagar, Richard, Wallis, Lynley, A., Faulkner, Patrick, Manne, Tiina, Hayes, Elspeth, Roberts, Richard, G., Jacobs, Zenobia, Carah, Xavier, Lowe, Kelsey M., Matthews, Jacqueline and Florin, S. Anna (2015) The archaeology, chronology and stratigraphy of Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II): A site in northern Australia with early occupation. Journal of Human Evolution, 83 46-64. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.03.014
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Ground-penetrating radar and burial practices in western Arnhem Land, Australia
Lowe, Kelsey M., Wallis, Lynley A., Pardoe, Colin, Marwick, Ben, Clarkson, Chris, Manne, Tiina, Smith, Mike A. and Fullagar, Richard (2014) Ground-penetrating radar and burial practices in western Arnhem Land, Australia. Archaeology in Oceania, 49 3: 148-157. doi:10.1002/arco.5039
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Rosendahl, Daniel, Lowe, Kelsey M., Wallis, Lynley A. and Ulm, Sean (2014) Integrating geoarchaeology and magnetic susceptibility at three shell mounds: a pilot study from Mornington Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Journal of Archaeological Science, 49 1: 21-32. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2014.04.017
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Review of geophysical applications in Australian archaeology
Lowe, Kelsey M. (2012) Review of geophysical applications in Australian archaeology. Australian Archaeology, 74 74: 71-84. doi:10.1080/03122417.2012.11681936
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Moving earth and building monuments at the Carson Mounds Site, Coahoma County, Mississippi
Mehta, Jayur Madhusudan, Lowe, Kelsey M., Stout-Evans, Rachel and Connaway, John (2012) Moving earth and building monuments at the Carson Mounds Site, Coahoma County, Mississippi. Journal of Anthropology, 2012 192923.1-192923.21. doi:10.1155/2012/192923
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Understanding Northeastern Plains Village sites through archaeological geophysics
Lowe, Kelsey M. and Fogel, Aaron S. (2010) Understanding Northeastern Plains Village sites through archaeological geophysics. Archaeological Prospection, 17 4: 247-257. doi:10.1002/arp.394
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Electromagnetic conductivity mapping for site prediction in meandering river floodplains
Conyers, Lawrence B., Ernenwein, Eileen G., Grealy, Michael and Lowe, Kelsey M. (2008) Electromagnetic conductivity mapping for site prediction in meandering river floodplains. Archaeological Prospection, 15 2: 81-91. doi:10.1002/arp.326
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Moving forward: post-Katrina archaeological investigations at the Oak Grove site (22HR502)
Lowe, Kelsey, Fuller, Richard S. and Blank Maher, Anne Marie (2008) Moving forward: post-Katrina archaeological investigations at the Oak Grove site (22HR502). Mississippi Archaeology, 43 2: 142-166.
Other Outputs
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Understanding Australia’s cultural history through archaeological geophysics
Lowe, Kelsey M. (2014). Understanding Australia’s cultural history through archaeological geophysics PhD Thesis, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland. doi:10.14264/uql.2014.616
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Improving one way of investigating Australian rockshelters
(2019) International Society for Archaeological Prospection Fund
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
