We interviewed MSc Archaeology alumna Ashley to explore her academic and professional journey, from her roots in California to her role as a Senior Consultant Archaeologist at ERM. Ashley shares her motivations for studying at the University of Edinburgh and how her experiences shaped her thriving career in cultural heritage and consultancy. Why did you decide to study at the University of Edinburgh? And why Archaeology? I found my first lithic artifact when I was 6 years old. Me, my dad and my twin sister would regularly hike at a place called Happy Face Hill in my home town. I found a fused shale lithic – which I thought was an arrowhead at the time – but turned out to be a scraper. From that point I was fascinated with history. In my 6th grade, we studied Ancient Egypt and their mortuary practices and our class project was to recreate a mummification with a store-bought chicken. From there on I knew I wanted to work in this field when I grew up. I originally wanted to be an Egyptologist but, after a trip to Stonehenge, I fell in love with megalithic monuments. My ancestry links back to indigenous Americans so this was something that really built my passion and my love for this field. I always knew I wanted to study in the UK. My dad inspired me to study abroad – he gave me the love of travel and my sister, who is a marine biologist, always gave me competition. They were an integral to me coming to Edinburgh. I got my undergraduate Anthropology BA degree in the US and during this time I started working in cultural heritage. Shortly after this I moved in to a nine to five role, but I wanted change – something to spark joy. I began researching different Master’s programmes. I found the University of Edinburgh’s Archaeology programme and immediately the academics stood out to me - Dr Kath McSweeney, Professor Clive Bonsall, Dr Catriona Pickard. When I got my acceptance letter, I was ecstatic. Coming to Edinburgh was one of the best decisions I have made. Deciding to pursue an MSc was the first thing I ever really did for myself. It was by no means easy but is so rewarding. How did you get to where you are? I started my professional career in archaeology whilst studying at Humboldt. I worked for California State Parks in the Redwoods District, creating a database that would give digital access to all our archaeological records, attached to GIS maps. I was also a liaison for the anthropology department at HSU, and I also worked for their cultural resource facility as a field technician. I started working with California State University, Chico, working on a project at Gold Bluffs beach, to restore the dunes so that they flowed naturally, for the better health of multiple different species. The historic and prehistoric artifacts in this area are amazing. Getting to have this contact with nature, with a community of people who share your passion, made this very special. I moved back down Southern California and continued working as an archaeological technician in the field, monitoring for any pre-contact artifacts. After I graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2021 and started working with ASM Affiliates, working across the States. In this role I had a chance to interface with tribal nations. This was a big growth and learning experience - to have contact with tribal nations is important and how we interact with them is important. In September 2022, I was contacted by ERM to work on a project in southern Nevada. I was eager to work for ERM because of the opportunities to grow within the company. I was also attracted by the fact it was a global company with global impact. ERM also has offices across Scotland and I would one day like to move back. I am now a senior consultant archaeologist with ERM where I work on project proposals for private sector clients, schedule field sessions, write reports, and I am still able to get out into the field! Getting out really brightens up my day – being able to pick up an artifact that hasn’t been seen for thousands of years is just the cherry on top. I am really looking forward to starting tribal consultation training this year – this is important as we need to see tribal nations in the present and the forefront, not the past. What did you gain from your time at the University and were there any experiences during your time at university which particularly helped prepare you for life after graduation? What skills did you gain? One of the most valuable skills I learned at Edinburgh, and one that I use in my daily life, is GIS mapping. I was able to take a course that taught me this skill. My classes helped me become a better writer. Having been out of academia for 8 years, transitioning from a US to a UK education system was a challenge. The skills and techniques I developed at Edinburgh helped me enhance my writing ability which has helped my career today. My degree taught me to be versatile. In my current role, I balance many priorities at once, and Edinburgh really prepared me for this. One of the people that had the biggest impact on me was my advisor, Dr Catriona Pickard. She is one of the best people I've met. I carry her advice with me to this day. She told me to write to an audience that has no idea what is going on – this has always stuck with me. I regularly write reports and communicate with people who do not work in the field, so I need to be a clear communicator. In your opinion, what is the biggest value of studying a degree in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences? History is written by and about the people who made the most influence. Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences connect us to community and to people – whether that be current or somebody thousands of years ago. This connection to the past is important – we have shared experiences throughout time. Archaeology brings connection to communities across the world. And, working in this field, you can ease pain for people. It’s common that archaeologists are asked to assist with recovery efforts. We archaeologists are trying to repair and connect people and communities. We add humanity to science. Do you have any highlights or a favourite memory of your time at the university? I have so many highlights… Being able to explore the Old Town and buildings like the Palace of Holyroodhouse was such an amazing opportunity and something I couldn’t really fathom having grown up on the West Coast USA. One of my favourite memories was my first time in the Wyrd Shop, owned by Lucia and Dee, who are such amazing people. They introduced me to Beltane Fire Society. I was able to join trips, visiting the Falls of Bruar, Urquhart Castle and Fairy Hill. I lived in student accommodation whist in Edinburgh and I met some of my very best friends there. We still stay in contact. There is a large global community at Edinburgh which is such a beautiful thing. All of these memories really stand out to me. I can still remember my walk to and from university. It was such a beautiful time in my life that I will always cherish. What advice would you give future students who are considering studying at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at Edinburgh? Give yourself grace. The degree programme is very well thought out. It will be hard, and be prepared for a lot of work, but give yourself grace. Don’t skip class – the MSc is only 1 year and it is fast moving. Make friends – inside or outside of the course. These people will brighten your day. Interested in studying with us? This article was published on 2025-03-28
