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 may 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.
Diana Cooper BA, PBD, Archaeologist. Diana received her BA in anthropology from UVIC in 1991 and her Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in archaeology from Simon Fraser in 1995. She is currently finishing her PHD in maritime archaeology, her thesis focussing on the heritage value of shipwrecks. She has worked on north, central and south coasts of British Columbia, as well as in the central interior, and the BC/Yukon border in Canada, in parts of northern Queensland, Australia and on the island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. Diana has experience conducting both terrestrial and uderwater investigations. Laboratory experience includes conservation of materials recovered from various environments including marine, faunal osteological analysis, database construction and data entry, and artifact illustration. She also has several years experience teaching at university.
Jo Brunsden, BA, MA, Archaeologist. Jo has participated in archaeological research in British Columbia since 1997 and cultural resource management since 2000, 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. Jo has extensive experience working with sensitive First Nations issues and has worked well with spiritual leaders form numerous First Nations groups throughout BC. Jo has varied archaeological experience in other parts of the world, including Greece and England. Jo is an approved Field Director, an Associate Member of the BCAPA and a member of the ASBC and the CAA. She also volunteers in archaeological collections at the Royal BC Museum. She has a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Victoria, and a Masters degree in Archaeology, with distinction, from the University of Reading, England.
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.
Alyssa Parker, BSc, GIS Analyst. Alyssa completed her degree in geography at University of Victoria in 2005 and has a background in advanced geographic information science, cartography, digital remote sensing, computer programming and map and air photo interpretation. She is fully versed with using programs such as ArcGIS 9, IDRISI, PCI Geomatica, and ENVI. Her computer skills include SPSS 10.0, Corel Draw, Basic Java, Basic HTML programming, MS Windows, PowerPoint, Access, Excel and UNIX. Alyssa also has education in applied climatology, biogeography, field surveying, geomorphology, hydrology, water resources management, and environmental resource management.
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.