Machine Learning for Archaeologists | CAA Australasia Panel
Description
CAA Australasia Digital Archaeology Panel Series
Join us for a discussion of hot topics in machine learning!
This panel zeroes in on Machine Learning (ML) as a working tool in archaeology, not a buzzword. The focus is on how ML is being applied across the pipeline: from automated detection of features in imagery and point clouds, to classification of motifs, artefacts, and landscapes at scales that were previously unmanageable.
Speakers will show where ML is genuinely shifting the needle—pattern recognition in material culture datasets, predictive modelling in survey, and the integration of learned models with GIS and 3D recording workflows. Just as importantly, we interrogate performance: training data limitations, transferability between regions, false positives, and the risks of overfitting in sparse archaeological datasets.
The panel keeps a clear line of sight on application. What does it take to deploy these methods in the field or within heritage management frameworks? How do we validate outputs in ways that stand up to archaeological scrutiny? And where does human expertise remain critical?
Rather than treating machine learning as a replacement for interpretation, the discussion positions it as an amplifier—extending our ability to see patterns, test hypotheses, and work at scale. Expect concrete examples, honest assessments, and a grounded view of where ML is already delivering, and where it still falls short.
With guests Dr Josh Emmitt, Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Dr Christopher J. Bateman, Dr Robert Haubt, and hosted by Emily Tour, this panel will be recorded and later made available via the CAA Australasia YouTube channel.
CAA Australasia's events are free and open to the public. Attendees agree to abide the by the CAA International's social media policy.
Stay up to date with all our events by becoming a member of CAA Australasia for free (join us here), and by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. You can catch up on our past events at our YouTube channel.
Lineup
Dr Josh Emmitt (Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira)
Dr Josh Emmitt is Curator of Archaeology at the Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira. He has worked on archaeological sites and collections around the world including from Egypt, Italy, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. His research interests are in the application of new methods and analyses of old data, including archival studies and the application of 3D technologies. Josh works with the Museum’s archaeology collections which includes material from Aoteraoa, the Pacific, and around the world, and has material from the Palaeolithic through to the recent past. He has published numerous articles on his research and helped to host local and international archaeology conferences. Josh is one of the editors of the Journal of Pacific Archaeology and serves on the committee of the Polynesian Society. Since April 2025 Josh is the Chair of Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) International, which hosts an annual conference that brings together archaeologists, computer scientists, and mathematicians from around the world.
Dr Jarrad Kowlessar (Flinders University)
Dr Jarrad Kowlessar is a Lecturer in Archaeological Science at Flinders University whose research focuses on applying machine learning and other digital methods to archaeology. His work integrates data science, 3D scanning, and computational modelling to generate new insights into the human past. His research applies machine learning across diverse contexts, including rock art, ceramics, and large-scale landscape analysis, as well as geophysics and remote sensing. This work has contributed to detecting unmarked graves and shipwrecks, and to mapping geomorphological features of archaeological significance. He is particularly focused on developing machine learning approaches to analyse stylistic variation and to model archaeological landscapes, with a broader aim of using technology to better understand and communicate the past.
Dr Christopher J. Bateman (Intranel Consulting Services Ltd)
Dr Christopher J. Bateman is Head of Artificial Intelligence at Intranel Consulting Services Ltd, with 15 years of experience in R&D, including 9 years delivering AI solutions. In his current role, he translates emerging AI capabilities into practical, real-world solutions. He has worked across healthcare, agriculture, and environmental science, contributing to technologies such as next-generation spectral CT systems, forage scanning systems to improve pasture yield, pest surveillance using edge devices in remote environments, mastitis screening to reduce antibiotic use in dairy farming, and detection of historic sheep dipping sites from aerial imagery to identify contaminated land. Christopher is particularly focused on developing cost-effective AI solutions that deliver tangible impact for industry and public good. He is an alumnus of the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator programme and has contributed to multiple MBIE Endeavour research programmes.
Dr Robert Haubt (SAE University College)
Dr Robert Haubt is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at SAE University College and an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in Computational Archaeology at the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University. His work explores data ontology, machine learning, information networks, and human-computer interaction applied to studies in human evolution, with focus on applications in rock art research.
Emily Tour (University of Melbourne)
Emily Tour (she/they) is an archaeologist and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne. Their research focuses on the study of Bronze Age Aegean administrative documents; in particular, the application of digital methods such as 3D modelling, shape analysis and phylogenetics to better understand these artefacts. Emily is an ongoing participant in the Kaymakçı Archaeological Project in western Türkiye, and has been involved in both object and field photogrammetry at the site. She also currently volunteers at the Australian Institute of Archaeology, assisting in the digitisation of the collection. In 2024, Emily participated in a collaboration with a team from the Melbourne Data Analytics Platform, looking at applications of machine learning to assist in the decipherment of ancient languages.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
