Personal profile
Research Biography
Mike is a geoarchaeologist with over 20 years’ experience working in both academic and commercial environments. His primary area of expertise is the study of archaeological site formation processes and the reconstruction of palaeoenvironments at various scales through the study of site micro- and macro-stratigraphy, geological sequences and geomorphological landforms. He is interested in reconstructing changes in geomorphological systems (e.g., river behavioural change) and the implications of these dynamics on humans (and hominins) living in—and interacting with—these landscapes. He has worked widely in Europe, North Africa (Sudan, Libya), southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho), Middle East (Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia) and Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, East Timor).
Mike is currently an ARC Future Fellow, leading the 'Disperscapes' project, the aim of which is to reconstruct the ground conditions present at various Late Pleistocene sites across Southeast Asia during periods of site occupancy and abandonment. The project will use these data to gain a better understanding of the environmental conditions preferred by modern humans and other co-existing hominins as they dispersed through the region and ultimately onto the Australasian mainland.
Mike is currently on the editorial board of two archaeology journals: Associate Editor at Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, and Associate Editor at Geoarchaeology: An International Journal.
Supervision
- Registered
Research Areas
- Archaeology
Supervisory Interests
- Cultural landscapes
- Archaeological science
- Caves
- Geoarchaeology
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
-
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
-
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
-
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
-
SDG 13 Climate Action
-
SDG 15 Life on Land
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Life beyond the lakes: An analysis and implications of a Pleistocene combustion feature on the Pike River in South Australia
Westell, C., Roberts, A., Morley, M. W., Moffat, I., Hernandez, V., Spooner, N., McDonnell, K., Rudd, R., Petchey, F. & River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation, Aug 2025, In: Journal of Archaeological Science. 180, 15 p., 106264.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)53 Downloads (Pure) -
Modelling Mobility of Hunter-Gatherer Populations: A Dynamic Simulation Approach Based on Cellular Automata
Hewitt, R. J., Alcaraz-Castaño, M., Hernandez, V. C. & Morley, M. W., Dec 2025, In: JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY. 32, 4, 22 p., 57.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)5 Downloads (Pure) -
Southeast Asian Caves
Morley, M. W., McAdams, C. & Hernandez, V. P. C., 2025, Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Gilbert, A. S., Goldberg, P., Mandel, R. D. & Aldeias, V. (eds.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, p. 1-6 6 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
-
Tropical Geoarchaeology
Morley, M. W. & Araujo, A. G. M., 2025, Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Gilbert, A. S., Goldberg, P., Mandel, R. D. & Aldeias, V. (eds.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, p. 1-6 6 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
-
Abrupt onset of intensive human occupation 44,000 years ago on the threshold of Sahul
Shipton, C., Morley, M. W., Kealy, S., Norman, K., Boulanger, C., Hawkins, S., Litster, M., Withnell, C. & O’Connor, S., 22 May 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 15 p., 4193.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Citations (Scopus)51 Downloads (Pure)
-
LP20: Rockshelters and Rock Art in the River Murray Gorge: New Data and Syntheses
Roberts, A. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Moffat, I. (Chief Investigator), Morley, M. (Chief Investigator) & Fullagar, R. (Chief Investigator)
3/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
-
Australian Microarchaeology and Palaeosciences Facility (AusMAP)
Morley, M. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Prideaux, G. (Chief Investigator), Roberts, A. (Chief Investigator), Fusco, D. (Chief Investigator), Arnold, L. (Chief Investigator), Tyler, J. (Chief Investigator), Kotarba, A. (Chief Investigator), Petraglia, M. (Chief Investigator), Herries, A. (Chief Investigator), Prendergast, A. (Chief Investigator), McAdams, C. (Chief Investigator), Dewar, G. (Chief Investigator), Shoocongdej, R. (Chief Investigator) & Shahidan, S. (Chief Investigator)
University of Sydney, University of Adelaide, Griffith University, La Trobe University, University of Melbourne, Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd
6/03/25 → 5/03/26
Project: Research