Ben Marwick

Ben Marwick is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington, where he also serves as the Director of the interdisciplinary Minor in Data Science. His affiliations extend across multiple university units including the eScience Institute, the Burke Museum, the Center for Statistics and Social Sciences, the Quaternary Research Center, and the Southeast Asia Center. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Archaeological Science, Anthropological and Archaeological Sciences, Advances in Archaeology Practice, Journal of Open Archaeology Data, and Scientific Data.

Marwick's research combines evolutionary ecology models with archaeological evidence to investigate past human behavior, with specific interests in hominin dispersals into mainland Southeast Asia, forager technologies and ecology in Australia and Southeast Asia. He is a leading advocate for reproducible research and open science practices in archaeology, with significant contributions to data science applications in the field. His work spans stone artefact technology, geoarchaeology, and the intersection of archaeological science with community engagement.

His recent publications reveal strong trends toward integrating computational methods with traditional archaeological analysis, particularly focusing on reproducibility frameworks, lithic technology analysis across Southeast Asia and Australia, and the development of open science practices. His work increasingly bridges archaeology with data science, examining gender dynamics in the field, academic publishing practices, and the philosophical foundations of archaeological science.

• Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (2023)

Marwick actively supervises the UW Geoarchaeology Laboratory and has been instrumental in developing the university's interdisciplinary Data Science minor, which uniquely combines technical data skills with critical examination of data ethics and implications. His grant work includes significant international collaborations, particularly in Southeast Asia, and he has led training initiatives in reproducible research methods globally, including workshops in India and Myanmar. His mentoring approach emphasizes student leadership while providing supportive guidance, as evidenced by his 2023 mentorship award.

As director of the UW Geoarchaeology Laboratory, Marwick oversees research that integrates geological and archaeological methods to understand site formation processes and human-environment interactions. His work on open science has established him as a leader in promoting transparent research practices within archaeology, influencing how the discipline engages with data sharing, computational reproducibility, and community involvement in research processes.