Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Biography
Joe is an archaeologist with wide experience in academic research and in applied heritage management. He completed his PhD at UWA on Aboriginal responses to environmental changes in south-western Australia during and after the last glacial period, from 20,000 years ago to present.
Since then he has investigated archaeological evidence for Late Pleistocene faunal extinctions, researched past Aboriginal burning and landscape management in south-western Australia, and collaborated with geneticists and Aboriginal stakeholders on ancient and modern DNA analysis.
As a consultant, he’s advised communities and industry on archaeological heritage, completing more than 200 heritage assessments for Aboriginal organisations, resources companies, private developers and government agencies, and helping integrate cultural heritage protection into major development projects.
Joe has also delivered courses in archaeological field and lab methods, applied theory, and the intersection of environmental and social sciences (e.g. ARCY3003, ARCY4101, INDG2700 and ARCY3013).
Joe advocates for stronger heritage protection in current state and Federal reforms. He is a former President and current Vice-President of the Australian Archaeological Association.
Roles and responsibilities
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, School of Social Sciences
Funding overview
Australian Research Council:
Partner investigator, 2012-2014, "Ancient DNA from cave sediments: a new horizon in the archaeology of Aboriginal Australia", Discovery Project with Murdoch and Copenhagen Universities.
Research Associate, 2007-2009, "Aboriginal Landscape Transformations", Linkage Project with Department of Environment & Conservation, South-West Catchments Council, South Coast NRM; co-authored application with CIs J. Balme and J. Dodson.
Australian Post-doctoral Fellow, 2003-05, "Taphonomy of megafauna sites". University of Sydney.
For other funding (industry and community grants) see Socrates page.
Partner investigator, 2012-2014, "Ancient DNA from cave sediments: a new horizon in the archaeology of Aboriginal Australia", Discovery Project with Murdoch and Copenhagen Universities.
Research Associate, 2007-2009, "Aboriginal Landscape Transformations", Linkage Project with Department of Environment & Conservation, South-West Catchments Council, South Coast NRM; co-authored application with CIs J. Balme and J. Dodson.
Australian Post-doctoral Fellow, 2003-05, "Taphonomy of megafauna sites". University of Sydney.
For other funding (industry and community grants) see Socrates page.
Previous positions
Cultural Heritage Advisor, Rio Tinto
Research Manager/Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming ARC Linkage Project
Director, Eureka Archaeological Research & Consulting, UWA
Research Fellow, Archaeology, UWA
Current projects
Reporting and preparation of publications on the ARC Linkage Project: Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming
Archaeological interpretation of ancient DNA from cave sediments.
Study of past Noongar landscape management, through assessment of fire ecology, palaeo-ecology and fine-scale environmental, archaeological, historic and oral records.
Grinding stones and their environmental contexts in the Pilbara, Western Australia.
Industrial relevance
Joe has worked outside academia for much of his career. He provides advice on cultural heritage management and interpretation to commercial, government and community organisations.
Teaching overview
- 2018-2019 - ARCY3013 - Experimenting with Archaeology
- 2017-2018 - INDG2700 Knowing Country - From the Dreaming to Darwin
- 2016 - ARCY4101 Archaeological Theory
- 2014 - ARCY3003 Archaeological Laboratory Methods
- 2010 - ARCY7486 Honours - Professional Archaeology
Completed PhD students (years completed):
- C. Byrne (2022)
- E. Beckett (2021)
- A. Lullfitz (2019)
- C. Monks (2017)
- A. Grealy (Curtin University) (2017)
- D.Murray (Curtin University) (2016)
Supervised Honours students in Archaeology (except where shown otherwise):
- 2018: N. Suehrcke
- 2017: G. Buck (Biological Sciences)
- 2014: S. Murray (Natural Resource Management)
- 2013: N. Bush, D. Tassone, K. Hudson, Z. Shepherd.
- 2011: K. Forde, S. Curry-Bowran.
- 2009: R. Cameron, J. Huizen, S. Johnston, I. Seah, E. Rusack, K. Lee (U. Sydney)
- 2008: H. Worrell
- 2004: B. Ngo (U. Sydney)
Inquiries are welcome from any prospective PhD, Masters or Honours students, especially on the following topics:
- Aboriginal/Indigenous land management
- Zooarchaeology
- Palaeoecology
- Human interaction with environment
Research
Environmental archaeology; niche construction; Australian Aboriginal archaeology; ethnography and archaeology; taphonomy; faunal remains analysis; macroscopic charcoal analysis (anthracology); ancient DNA in archaeology.
Languages
English
French (basic)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Archaeology, PhD, Palaeo-environmental change and the persistence of Aboriginal occupation in south-western Australian forests, The University of Western Australia
1 Jan 1996 → 10 Mar 2001
Award Date: 10 Mar 2001
Archaeology, Honours, University of Southampton
Award Date: 1 Jul 1991
External positions
Vice-President, Australian Archaeological Association
Dec 2023 → …
President, Australian Archaeological Association
Dec 2021 → Dec 2023
Director, Dortch Cuthbert
2001 → …
Research expertise keywords
- Animal Bones
- Ancient DNA
- Environmental History
- Human Origins
- Aboriginal land management
- Environmental archaeology including taphonomy, zooarchaeology and anthracology
- Australian Aboriginal archaeology
- Ethnography and archaeology
- Cultural heritage management
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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The shifting sands of Aboriginal cultural heritage management in Western Australia
Dortch, J., 2024, In: Australian Archaeology. 90, 1, p. 25-27 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Bone collagen from subtropical Australia is preserved for more than 50,000 years
Peters, C., Wang, Y., Vakil, V., Cramb, J., Dortch, J., Hocknull, S., Lawrence, R., Manne, T., Monks, C., Rössner, G. E., Ryan, H., Siversson, M., Ziegler, T., Louys, J., Price, G. J., Boivin, N. & Collins, M. J., Dec 2023, In: Communications Earth and Environment. 4, 8 p., 438.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
Enderby Island Excavations
McDonald, J., Reynen, W., Blunt, Z., Ditchfield, K., Dortch, J., Leopold, M., Monks, C., Paterson, A. & Veth, P., Dec 2023, Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming. McDonald, J. & Mulvaney, K. (eds.). Australia: UWA Publishing, p. 127-214 90 p. (CRAR+M Monograph No. 2; vol. 2).Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Chapter › peer-review
Open AccessFile111 Downloads (Pure) -
Excavations on the Burrup: Old Geos and Watering Cove
McDonald, J., Reynen, W., Ditchfield, K., Blunt, Z., Monks, C., Beckett, E., Dortch, J. & Veth, P., Dec 2023, Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming. McDonald, J. & Mulvaney, K. (eds.). Australia: UWA Publishing, p. 591-646 57 p. (CRAR+M Monograph; no. 2).Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Chapter › peer-review
Open Access -
Rosemary Island Excavations
McDonald, J., Reynen, W., Blunt, Z., Ditchfield, K., Monks, C., Leopold, M. & Dortch, J., Dec 2023, Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming. McDonald, J. & Mulvaney, K. (eds.). Australia: UWA Publishing, p. 271-340 70 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Chapter › peer-review
Open AccessFile77 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data from: Genetic diversity loss in a biodiversity hotspot: ancient DNA quantifies genetic decline and former connectivity in a critically endangered marsupial.
Pacioni, C. (Creator), Hunt, H. (Creator), Allentoft, M. E. (Creator), Vaughan, T. G. (Creator), Wayne, A. F. (Creator), Baynes, A. (Creator), Haouchar, D. (Creator), Dortch, J. (Creator) & Bunce, M. (Creator), DRYAD, 21 Oct 2015
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.26s85, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.26s85 and one more link, https://zenodo.org/record/4942453 (show fewer)
Dataset
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Data from: Genetic diversity and drivers of dwarfism in extinct island emu populations
Thomson, V. A. (Creator), Mitchell, K. J. (Creator), Eberhard, R. (Creator), Dortch, J. (Creator), Austin, J. J. (Creator) & Cooper, A. (Creator), DRYAD, 15 Mar 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.p7c6p, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.p7c6p and one more link, https://zenodo.org/record/5012668 (show fewer)
Dataset
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PEAT | Protecting peatland ecosystems and addressing threats in Southwestern Australia
Mitchell, N. (Investigator 01), Hopper, S. (Investigator 02), Skrzypek, G. (Investigator 03), Catullo, R. (Investigator 04), Lullfitz, A. (Investigator 05), McCallum, J. (Investigator 06), Dortch, J. (Investigator 07), Knapp, L. (Investigator 08), Webb, W. (Investigator 09), Horwitz, P. (Investigator 10), Blake, D. (Investigator 11), Islam, S. (Investigator 12), Edmonds, D. (Investigator 13), Miller, B. (Investigator 14), Liddelow, J. (Investigator 15), McGrath, G. (Investigator 16), Densmore, V. (Investigator 17), Harvey, M. (Investigator 18), Tatarnic, N. (Investigator 19) & Durrant, B. (Investigator 20)
21/10/22 → 21/10/26
Project: Research
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Establishing a chronology of Holocene environmental changes and human habitation in the northern Swan Coastal Plain, southwestern Australia
Dortch, J. (Investigator 01) & Monks, C. (Investigator 02)
Australian Institute of Nuclear Science & Engineering AINSE
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Research
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Methodological & Quantitiative appraoches to Australasian zooarchaeology and taphonomy (UQ Led)
Manne, T. (Investigator 01) & Dortch, J. (Investigator 02)
1/01/14 → 31/12/14
Project: Research
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Archaeological Advice for Interpretation Plan for Newcastle Convict Depot, Shire of Toodyay WA
Lau, H. (Investigator 01), Dortch, J. (Investigator 02) & Gow, A. (Investigator 03)
1/01/13 → 31/12/13
Project: Research
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Wireless Hilll Park: Archaeological Watching Brief
Dortch, J. (Investigator 01) & Stedman, J. (Investigator 02)
25/07/12 → 31/12/12
Project: Research