Crystal El Safadi

Dr. Crystal El Safadi is an Associate Professor in Maritime Archaeology at the University of Southampton, specializing in ancient seafaring, geospatial data, and maritime heritage preservation. She leads research on Bronze Age and Neolithic maritime mobility, leveraging GIS, remote sensing, and computational modeling. Her work spans projects like the MarEA initiative and the Eastern Mediterranean Experimental Seafaring, addressing threats to underwater cultural heritage in regions like the Middle East and North Africa. She teaches modules on GIS for Archaeology and Ancient Mediterranean Seafaring, and supervises PhD students in archaeology.

• Research Groups: Centre for Maritime Archaeology, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute
• Current Projects: Investigating ancient Levantine harbors, maritime heritage data integration in the eastern Mediterranean

Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining digital archaeology with fieldwork in Lebanon, Cyprus, Spain, and beyond. She actively participates in international initiatives on climate change impacts and heritage conservation, contributing to global discussions on maritime cultural heritage management.

• External Roles: Invited speaker on topics ranging from women in maritime archaeology to climate change and coastal heritage