Justin Dunnavant
استادیار · Historical Archaeology of Africa and the African Diaspora
University of California, Los Angelesمعرفی
Dr. Justin Dunnavant is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UCLA, specializing in Historical Archaeology of Africa and the African Diaspora, Atlantic and Indian Ocean slave trade, and maritime archaeology. He co-founded the Society of Black Archaeologists and serves as its President, advocating for diversity and ethical practice in the field. His research focuses on the relationship between ecology and enslavement in colonial St. Croix and has been supported by National Geographic, The Explorers Club, and multiple postdoctoral fellowships.
Education: B.A. (Howard University, 2009), M.A. and Ph.D. (University of Florida, 2017). Professional roles include AAUS Scientific SCUBA Diver and consultant for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Research Interests:
- Maritime marronage and fugitive geographies
- GIS applications in studying colonial resistance
- Community-based archaeology and heritage preservation
- Public scholarship and antiracist archaeology
Awards:
- National Geographic Emerging Explorer (2021)
- Stafford Ellison Wright Black Alumni Scholar-in-Residence (2022)
- Fulbright Scholar (2009-2010)
Grants & Advising:
- Principal Investigator for Nautilus EV voyage in Hawaiian maritime heritage (2022)
- Co-led post-hurricane heritage assessments in St. Croix (2018)
Labs/Teams: Leads UCLA’s African Diaspora Archaeology Lab, collaborating on projects such as the Estate Little Princess Archaeology Project and underwater exploration of slave shipwrecks.
