Research Fellow in Archaeology (2010-2012)

Biography

Meg Watters specializes in three dimensional visualization of remotely sensed and excavated archaeological data for a new perspective on non-invasive modeling and analysis of archaeological sites. Watters works in geomatics and archaeological landscape visualization with interests in developing technological applications to help solve archaeological problems.  Much of her research has focused on geophysical site mapping and 3D visualization of archaeological landscapes.  Her fieldwork includes investigations around the globe with special research concentrations at the Catholme Ceremonial Complex, Staffordshire, UK; Stabiae, Italy; and the Euchaita / Avkat Project in Turkey.

Interests

Meg Watters trained in Archaeological Remote Sensing and GIS with Ken Kvamme at Boston University, later followed by research in 3D data visualization with Vince Gaffney at the University of Birmingham in England.  In addition to academic research, she has worked in Cultural Resource Management and for Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc., a ground penetrating radar manufacturer.  As an independent contractor, she has done geophysical surveys on a broad range of archaeological sites including work in North America, Mexico, Peru, the UK, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and China.

For most of her career, Watters’ fieldwork has focused on archaeological site mapping with various geophysical methods including magnetometry, resistance, and ground penetrating radar surveys.  More recently, she has focused on integrating geophysical data with other types of site data through GIS and new methods for 3D data visualization using Avizo (https://www.vsg3d.com/vsg_prod_avizo_earth.php) software.  Watters continues to work toward total site geo-visualization through the combination of 3D subsurface features (geophysical survey) excavation data, and 3D laser scanning (terrestrial LiDAR) data.

Watters’ interest in public archaeology, and especially the education of children, has followed a path working as a science consultant and presenter with a number of television programs on networks including National Geographic, Discovery Channel, PBS, and the BBC. 

Teaching

Over the past 15 years Watters has taught different aspects of archaeology, remote sensing, GIS, geophysical survey, and data visualization to students and professionals in widely different fields.  Her strong ties to the local and international archaeo-geophysical and ground penetrating radar communities provide a constant flow of new applications and innovative ideas for integration into course materials and research projects.  Although strongly focused on the application of different technologies to archaeological problems, Watters has a fundamental grounding in the field of archaeology, with an undergraduate degree in Classics.

Affiliations & Memberships

Staff:  IBM Visual and Spatial Technology (VISTA) Centre at the University of Birmingham in England

Honorary Research Fellow in Archaeological Visualization:  Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity, University of Birmingham, UK.

International Society for Archaeological Prospection
Archaeological Institute of America
Saving Antiquities for Everyone

Site Links

Archaeology Survey Technologies, Data Integration & Applications Workshop and Seminar: https://brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/fieldwork/astda

Stabiae, Italy:  https://www.stabiae.com/fountation_site/usa/index.html

Avkat Archaeological Project, Turkey:  https://www.princeton.edu/avkat/

Catholme Ceremonial Complex, UK:  https://www.digitaldigging.co.uk/features/catholme/cathome-timber-circles-p01.html

Time Team America:  https://www.pbs.org/opb/timeteam/