Ann Coats

Ann Coats is an Associate Professor in Maritime History at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the Faculty of Technology, School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, and centers like the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures, Heritage Hub, and Centre of Excellence for Heritage Innovation. Her research focuses on dockyard history, heritage re-use, and the intersection of naval infrastructure with urban development. She teaches heritage conservation, regeneration, and the tangible/intangible heritage of dockyards, particularly Portsmouth's Portsea neighborhood. Her work explores adaptive re-use of historic buildings and civil engineers' roles in shaping maritime cities.

Her publications analyze convict labor's role in dockyards, enslaved workers in Bermuda's naval base, and global dockyard heritage preservation. She supervises PhD projects on Portsmouth's built environment and maritime history. Ann is actively involved in community engagement to document and preserve maritime heritage, contributing to Portsmouth's evolving identity as a maritime city.