Since 2015, Dan has held the new post of Lifelong Learning and Outreach Archaeologist with the Archaeology Institute and is responsible for developing, implementing and managing community archaeology projects in the Highlands and Islands region. Dan also teaches on undergraduate and postgraduate modules, develops short courses and works with numerous community stakeholder groups and local schools. The post also involves developing and managing the Archaeology Institute volunteer and work placement programme. Key achievements have been to engage new groups, such as youth and schools, in archaeology and develop social media outreach.

Dan’s career in archaeology spans 20 years starting with a First Class Honours degree in Archaeological Science from the University of Sheffield finishing in 2000. He worked in commercial archaeology throughout the UK until completing an MA in Archaeological Practice with distinction at the University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute in 2008. Since then he has worked for ORCA as a Project Officer (commercial, research and community projects) and a Teaching Officer for the archaeology department. Dan completed a three year community training project (2009-2011) with his Hoy and South Walls Landscape Project, funded by the Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership Scheme (HLF).

Dan is research active in Landscape Archaeology, Contemporary Archaeology, Art/Archaeology and experimental creative practice in archaeology. This includes a number of residencies, collaborative/independent projects and workshops, and also conference attendance, conference speaking and publication output.

Dan has been a member of the Contemporary and Historical Archaeology in Theory (CHAT) conference standing committee since 2015.

Research Interests:

Landscape Archaeology, Contemporary Archaeology, experimental mapping, Creative Archaeology, interdisciplinary collaboration, community archaeology, British prehistory, survey and mapping.

Current project portfolio:

• Mapping Magnus: Community, Research and Training Project (for Magnus 900, 2017-18) Client: Orkney Islands Council (Funding: Heritage Lottery Fund)
• Listening to the Piers: Art /Science workshops for Stromness Per Mare. Client: Stromness Museum (Funding: Heritage Lottery Fund)
• Rousay Landscapes of Change. (2015 – present) Excavation, survey, outreach. (Funding: Being Human Festival; Orkney Islands Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Rousay Egilsay & Wyre Development Trust)
• Staffin, Skye (2015 – present). Excavation, outreach. Client: Staffin Community Trust (Funding: Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher, Highland Council)
• Orkney World Heritage Site Field walking Project. Outreach. Client: Orkney Archaeology Society (Funding: Heritage Lottery Fund)
• Kirkwall THI Archaeology Programme (2016-2017). Excavation, survey, outreach, schools. Client: Orkney Islands Council (funding: Heritage Lottery Fund)
• Orkney World Heritage Site community map (2016). Community map of Heart of Neolithic Orkney World heritage Site. Client: HES (funding HES). Download: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=023728f8-6240-4a06-a4fd-a6270090b2f1
• Braes of Ha’Breck, Wyre, Orkney (2007- present): excavation of an early Neolithic settlement with Dr. Antonia Thomas. Final Reports in progress (Funding: Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Archaeology Society).
• Links House Farm, Stronsay, Orkney (2008-2009): excavation of a Mesolithic settlement. Publication in prep (Funding: Historic Environment Scotland).
• New Short Courses: Introduction to Archaeology evening class (2016); Field Archaeology short course (2017).

Residencies / collaborative / independent work:

Flow Country: collaborative project with Jasper Coppes (NL), 16mm short film (2016)

Map Orkney Month: Participatory mapping project, Orkney and elsewhere (2015)

The Characters: collaboration with photographer Tonje Birkeland (NO) (2014-2017)

Archaeologist in Residence, Papay Gyro Nights art festival, Papa Westray Orkney (2013-14)

Test Trenches: collaborative project, residency in Pier Arts Centre, workshops (2010-11)