The 2022 AIMA Conference will address inclusiveness and the decolonising of our discipline. It will provide an opportunity to engage into dialogue around the meaning, approaches and lessons for ‘decolonising’ maritime archaeology, maritime museums, and underwater cultural heritage. This Conference will bring together attendees from all over the world to enable voices and perspectives that are not usually heard. In particular, it will consider the ways that colonial privilege and access affected how we approach our discipline and how we can move forward. It will also be a platform for the exchange and dissemination of information about maritime archaeological projects from the greater Australasian region.

This year is also an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the growth of our discipline. 2022 marks 40 years of AIMA as an organisation and contributor to Australasian maritime archaeology. In addition, 2022 is the 20-year anniversary of the Maritime Archaeology Program at Flinders University. Both of these institutions have trained, supported and engaged with members and alumni from countries all over the world. They have also helped our discipline to learn and adapt with improved ethical standards, technical advancements and innovative approaches.

When: 21–23 September 2022

Where: Flinders in the City, 182 Victoria Square, Adelaide (https://www.flinders.edu.au/campus/victoria-square)

Call for sessions

See the call for sessions below and some proposed sessions that reflect the broad ranging topics intended for the conference.

Proposed sessions:

• Decolonising Maritime Archaeology in Australasia
• Women in Maritime Archaeology – Careers and Challenges
• Southeast Asia and Under Water Cultural Heritage
• Australia’s ratification of the 2001 UNESCO Convention
• Methods and technological advances
• Conservation practices in maritime archaeology
• Student session

The Conference Organisers welcome conference session proposals. Please send the title of the proposed session, an abstract (max. 200 words) and suggested session chairs to the committee by 28 May 2022.

Please read the information below before submitting your session abstracts to conference@aima-underwater.org.au. We wish to encourage a variety of approaches to sessions including workshops, panel discussions, demonstrations, poster sessions or other approaches as well as innovative ideas using digital media and communications.

Diversity is an important feature of this conference. Each session must have 2 to 3 organisers. Preference will be given to sessions with organisers who have gender balance, a blend of experienced and early-career professionals/academics (or graduate students) and have at least one organiser whose first language is other than English. The Conference Committee can help interested individuals to make contact with other potentially suitable organisers.

All session organisers must be AIMA members, however membership fees may be covered by Conference sponsorships for international or under-represented groups. Please contact the Conference Committee at conference@aima-underwater.org.au if you wish to seek support.

Session organisers will preferably attend the conference in person and will be encouraged to support students and participants whose first language is other than English to prepare their papers for presentation.

Contact: conference@aima-underwater.com.au