Career in Ruins

In this episode of Career in Ruins, Lawrence and Derek kick things off with some lighthearted chatter about the buzz surrounding Gladiator 2—what might Ridley Scott have in store for fans of ancient drama and epic storytelling?

Then, we’re joined by the incredible Professor Henry Chapman, a landscape archaeologist whose expertise spans GIS, ancient landscapes, and the unique environments of bogs. Together, we explore:

• How GIS ...

In this episode, hosts Lawrence Shaw and Derek Pitman sit down with Professor Mike Parker Pearson to delve into a career that has shaped the field of archaeology on multiple fronts. The conversation begins with reflections on the late Lord Colin Renfrew, a transformative figure in archaeology and Mike's former lecturer, whose recent passing adds a poignant note to the discussion.

Mike provides unique insights into the evolution o...

In the first episode of the new season, Derek and Lawrence sit down with Chris Leonard, Senior Project Officer at Cotswold Archaeology. Chris shares his fascinating career journey, starting with a degree in South American Studies and navigating the highs and lows of short-term contracts in commercial archaeology. From uncertain beginnings to becoming a leading professional in the field, his story is a must-hear for anyone curious a...

In this special episode, we bring you exclusive coverage from the launch event of the Festival of Archaeology, hosted at the scenic Scottish Crannog Centre on the banks of Loch Tay. Join us as we dive into engaging conversations with event organizers from the Council for British Archaeology, explore the vibrant stalls, and interact with the passionate site staff and living history specialists who bring the past to life. Whether you...

Our first episode of 2024 is a fascinating chat with Karen Kirk. Karen has had a brilliant career which has spanned commercial archaeology, BBC drama productions and more recently, the production of archaeological TV programs. With shows and documentaries ranging from Digging for Britain, Time Team, Secrets of Stonehenge and Titanic’s Final Mystery, Karen talks us through how she got involved in working in such an important area wh...

The episode of Career Ruins features a conversation with Colm Donnelly, a Senior Research Fellow at Queen's University in Belfast. Derek and Lawrence reflect on the highlights of the year and discuss Colm's career journey in historical archaeology and community archaeology. Colm shares insights into his notable projects, including excavating medieval castles in Ireland and participating in post-ex Russia. The episode highlights the...

In this episode Derek and Lawrence chat to Helen Geake, an archaeologist and member of the television show Time Team. She discusses her career in archaeology, starting from when she was unsure about what she wanted to do and eventually discovering her passion for the subject. She talks about her academic journey, including her research on Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, and her work at Norwich Castle Museum and the Portable Antiquities Sch...

Career in ruins are back in the saddle with their traditional interview format at the start of a very exciting new season. To kick us off we chat to the inspirational Gus Casely-Hayford, Director of the V&A East, and all round incredible person. We gain an insight into the motivation and application that has lead him to have such an incredible career in ruins.

Catch Gus’s latest Radio series, Torn, on BBC Sounds https://www.b...

To kick off the start of our new season we are sharing a special podcast about OUR careers in ruins. This first episode is a recording from a lecture we were asked to give to the Anthropology Society at Stony Brook University, New York, about science communication. We hope you enjoy it and a huge thank you to all the committee and members of the society for the invite and warm welcome. Keep an eye out for new episodes over the next...

In this first episode of the long awaited season 6 of Career in Ruins Lawrence and Derek join in with the CBA's Festival of Archaeology by celebrating "20 years" (ish) of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). Archaeology's Ant and Dec of the south coast are joined by three incredible guests; Michael Lewis, Head of the PAS at the British Museum, Emma Youell, metal detectorist and PAS self recorder and Neil Redfern, head of the Coun...

This week we take a moment to pause and reflect on some of the problems facing members of our community. We are joined by Kate Geary (CiFA), Lu Stanton-Greenwood (StepChange/ BAJR) and David Connolly (BAJR) and discussions are centred on the recently released ‘Poverty Impact Report’. Some useful links below:

For help and advice with debt, cost of living, benefits, hardship funds etc.

http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/bajrpress/archaeologist...

Welcome to this special episode which is brought to you by the Council for British Archaeology. This episode was recorded live at the Festival of Archaeology closing event at Corfe Castle, as hosted by the National Trust on 31st of July 2022. Derek and Lawrence are joined by a brilliant panel of archaeologists as they share their journey in archaeology and discuss several themes as well as advice to prospective future archaeologist...

In this special episode, join Lawrence as he attends a Festival of Archaeology event being delivered by Forestry England at Sherwood Pines. Learn a bit about what Forestry England do, how they manage their historic environment and what they have been doing to promote it during the festival. Lawrence catches up with colleagues and living historians who have helped to bring to life a day where visitors can learn all about the sites F...

We are back! And what better way to come back then to take a day out to visit the Durotriges Big Dig. Ran over 9 seasons, this research project focuses on Iron Age Dorset, examining the transition between the Iron Age and Roman Britain, and how this is represented in the archaeological record. Not only does the project offer up lots of interesting research questions and discoveries, but it also provides Bournemouth University stude...

In this bonus episode Derek and Lawrence talk all things New Zealand archaeology. The duo are joined by New Zealand archaeologists Josie Hagan and Dr Andy Brown. The episode features a triumphant return of Monutrumps as well as a discussion of the range of sites in New Zealand and what you can expect during New Zealand archaeology week. New Zealand Archaeology Week is from 22 April to 1 May 2022. For more info see https://nzarchaeo...