George is a founding member of ACUA when it was formally established in 1973. A native Californian, he did undergraduate and graduate work at Stanford University. He began his career with the National Park Service in 1959, which included assignments in six parks, the Washington Office, and the Southeast Archaeological Center from which he retired in 1988. He began teaching a courses in underwater archaeology at Florida State University in 1974 and co-instructed inter-disciplinary courses in Scientific Diving Techniques. After retirement from the NPS his FSU activities were expanded and eventually evolved into the University's present Program in Underwater Archaeology. George serves as the ACUA Treasurer.

Why I got into underwater archaeology ...

I'd always been interested in things aquatic. While assigned to the Division of Archeology in the NPS Washington Office, I became fascinated with this developing field. I conducted an analysis of the Service's needs and potentials in 1968; a time when historical and underwater archaeology were just becoming regarded as "legitimate." I found the potential considerable, and intriguing. As a result of the study I was authorized to establish an NPS program in underwater archaeology. During that early period I was Project Coordinator for excavation of the steamboat Bertrand, and my eyes were truly opened to the "time capsule" nature of historic shipwreck sites. Rather than finding fragments of artifacts, we found whole objects in incredible condition, still packed in the original crates, with the names of the manufacturers, shippers and consignees; all dated to the morning of April 1, 1865. Subsequently, the underwater activities and I were moved to SEAC in Tallahassee, from which until my retirement we conducted an extensive program of investigations. I've found my "hobby" of teaching at FSU extremely rewarding in being able to provide students with an opportunity to participate in what to me was an incredibly interesting field, and gratifying to see the field and our program grow as it has.

Favorite quote

"New World archaeology is anthropology or it is nothing," Philip Phillips. While I have my own "historical particularist" inclinations, I believe we must always remember our sites are a manifestation of human activity, and ultimately our goal should be obtaining a better understanding of human behavior through our research.

FSU/PUA home page: http://www.anthro.fsu.edu/uw/uw.html
FSU Academic Diving Program: http://www.adp.fsu.edu/

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