Millennia Research Staff
Millennia Research is a firm providing professional consulting services in the fields of archaeology, ethnology, traditional use, aboriginal forest use and history.
The full time staff at Millennia are experienced in a variety of archaeological excavation and laboratory techniques, ethnographic interviewing, and have worked in many locations throughout Canada and other countries around the world.
In addition, Millennia Research regularly employs specialists such as ethnobotanists, ethnographers, and zooarchaeologists. Millennia Research has extensive experience in archaeological assessment, and in the management of heritage resources from a land-use perspective.
Staff Members:
Morley Eldridge MA, RPCA, President of Millennia Research. Morley has conducted archaeological research in western Canada and abroad since 1969. Morley received his BA at the University of British Columbia, and his MA at the University of Victoria. He has subsequently pioneered research associated with archaeological potential modelling, CMT and wet site recording and reporting, and resource management procedures. He was the President of the BC Association of Professional Consulting Archaeologists (BCAPCA) in 2000-2001. Morley was a content advisor for the Resource Inventory Committee (RIC) Archaeological Inventory curriculum development and was asked to develop criteria for assessing the significance of CMTs for the Vancouver Forest Region because of his CMT expertise. He has been a member of the BC Science Council volunteer committee. Morley strives for a high professional standard of work, providing guidance and direction to Millennia Research's project directors, reviewing final reports and directing dendrochronology analysis. He takes time from administrative duties to take part in fieldwork several times a year, recognising that this keeps him in touch with basic archaeological issues. Morley's particular interest is in site potential modelling and wet sites and other locations with preserved organic artifacts such as basketry.
D'Ann Owens, BA (Hons), Senior Archaeologist and Project Co-ordinator for Millennia Research. As Project Co-ordinator, D'Ann works to ensure that project directors have the equipment and staff necessary to meet project requirements and milestones. As a Senior Archaeologist, D'Ann has intensive archaeological experience participating in and directing large scale archaeological projects since 1994. D'Ann's archaeology degree from Simon Fraser University emphasized ethnoarchaeology and anthropological practice, and she has put her ethnographic skills to use in traditional use studies in the southern interior for the Cook's Ferry and Lytton First nations, Lillooet (Lookout Point) and the Pavilion First Nation, on the midcoast for the Kitasoo Indian Band, and with the Kitkatia on the north coast. D'Ann also helped develop the curriculum for both the Heiltsuk CMT training programs and the RIC Archaeological Inventory and she is an approved course facilitator. In addition to her professional reporting, D'Ann has author credit in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology.
Meghan Fisher, BA, Archaeologist. Meghan has participated in archaeological research in British Columbia since 1996, and has had experience in Fijian and Australian archaeology since 1996. She has participated in cultural resource management since 2002, including large project management, forestry impact assessments, archaeological overviews, inventories, evaluation and management of heritage resources, mitigation of archaeological deposits, archaeological mapping, and report preparation. Meghan has extensive experience working with and directly for First Nations leaders and communities from numerous areas throughout BC. She is an approved Field Director, a member of the ASBC and is in the process of joining the BCAPA. She has a Bachelor of Arts in archaeology from Simon Fraser University, and three years of post-graduate research at James Cook University, Australia.
Vashti Thiesson, BA, Archaeologist. Vashti has been employed as an archaeologist at Millennia Research since 2008. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology from the University of Calgary in 2007. She has experience in a variety of archaeological field methods and reporting formats. Her primary activities at Millennia include: fieldwork, including survey and excavation, lab work, including analysis and processing of samples and report production, including writing, and editing to Archaeology Branch of British Columbia standards. Vashti also enjoys spending time outside; she has extensive experience working in remote locations, practicing basic survival skills and first aid, working with helicopters, boats, All-Terrain-Vehicles, snowmobiles and horses.
Lenore Thompson, BA, Archaeologist. Lenore has been employed as an archaeologist at Millennia since 2007 and has been active in archaeology in British Columbia since 2005. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (honours) from UBC in 2006 with a double major in anthropology and political science. Lenore also studied abroad at the Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China. Lenore has done extensive archaeological work with First Nations in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Her main areas of interest and expertise include Northwest Coast Archaeology, as well as the cultural interaction between anthropologists/archaeologists and First Nations groups; Wet sites and perishable material excavation and conservation; Underwater Archaeology, site survey, and salvage; Mesoamerican Archaeology, pertaining to the Formative, Pre Classic and Classic Periods; and Chinese Archaeology pertaining to the Shang Dynasty. In addition to her archaeological field qualifications, Lenore also has expertise and experience in museum curation and display.
Jessica Ruskin, MSc, Archaeologist. Jessica has been employed at Millennia Research since 2009. She has worked in cultural resource management since 2005, directing archaeological impact assessments, mitigative data recovery, preliminary field reconnaissance, archaeological inventories, site recording (including burials) and site monitoring for forestry, oil and gas, transportation and highways projects, as well as residential developments for private landowners. Jessica received her BA in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University in 2004, and her MSc in Forensic Anthropology from University of Edinburgh in 2009; she is also an approved field director. While pursuing her Master's degree in Scotland, Jessica was involved in a large-scale burial excavation at the Royal Hospital Haslar. Jessica's primary interests include plant identification, comparative osteology, palaeopathology, mortuary behavior and forensic anthropology.
Achinie Wijesinghe, BA, Archaeologist. Achinie earned a Diploma in anthropology from Kwantlen College in 2003 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University in 2005. Achinie has worked in Cultural Resource Management for five years and in that time has participated in numerous archaeological projects in the lower mainland and the southern interior of BC. Achinie's professional interests include First Nations studies and furthering the preservation of the archaeological record in BC.
Alyssa Parker, BSc, GIS Analyst. Alyssa completed her degree in geography at University of Victoria in 2005. She is experienced in a variety of archaeology-related GIS operations. Her primary activities at Millennia include: creation of archaeological predictive models using TRIM-based DEM and LiDAR data; GIS analysis; GPS downloads and data manipulation; mapping of archaeological sites; and troubleshooting computer issues. In addition, Alyssa enjoys researching and developing innovative and customized approaches to a variety of mapping, spatial analysis, and database problems. She is also familiar and competent with a wide variety of computer software packages, including ArcGIS and Global Mapper.
Donna Eckert, Office manager. Donna has been with Millennia Research since 1995. Her Professional education is in business administration and bookkeeping, and she has previous experience in the legal, service, and high tech sectors.