Jason Kariwiga

Jason Kariwiga is a Teaching Fellow in Anthropology, Sociology & Archaeology at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea (since 2015). He is concurrently pursuing a PhD at the University of Queensland (UQ) under the UQ Research Training Program Scholarship, focusing on prehistoric human mobility along Papua New Guinea's coast through isotope mapping. His supervisors include Michael C. Westaway, Andrew Fairbairn, and Matthew G. Leavesley.

Education includes a First Class Honours in Archaeology (University of Papua New Guinea, 2014), a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology & Sociology (UPNG, 2012), and a Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (James Cook University, 2018).

Research interests span population mobility, cultural heritage, and Lapita archaeology in the Bismarck Archipelago. He has published extensively on topics like prehistoric trade networks, Denisovan genetics' role in adaptation, and museum repatriation. Notable awards include the UQ RTP Scholarship.

His work bridges archaeology, genetics, and environmental science, with contributions to understanding Papua New Guinea's prehistory. He collaborates internationally and actively engages in ethical debates around cultural heritage and human remains repatriation.