Sarah Maya Vercruysse graduated from the KU Leuven (Belgium) in 2013 with a Master in History. During that year she was also an exchange student at the Universität Erfurt in Germany. After her studies Sarah Maya worked at the KU Leuven as a Research Assistant doing research and creating exhibitions on the social history of Flanders. Following a 9 month travel through Canada in 2015, she moved to Vancouver for one year in 2019-2020. Her research interests include the Second World War and the history of international relations during the 19th-20th century.

As a Research Associate at the MAE, Sarah Maya launched the project «Into the World » about the extensive photographic collection of our museum. She created two gallery exhibits with websites and prepared material for future image exhibitions.

Chantel Smeysters graduated from SFU in 2017 with a BA in Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management. Her research interests include Northwest Coast lithic tool typologies, underwater archaeology, and megalith structures of Northern Europe. 

For her work at the MAE, Chantel wrote a manual on common lithic tool typologies of the Northwest Coast and assisted with the lithic rehousing project. This rehousing project is a team-based work effort focused on classifying and cataloging lithic tool types of the Northwest Coast found in the museum collections. The project also involved developing three cataloguing guides: Cataloguing Procedures, Lithic Tool Typologies, and Raw Material Types.

Elizabeth Peterson recently received her PhD from the Archaeology Department at SFU. Much of her research focuses on exploring indigenous craft production and the history of traditional knowledge in Ethiopia. This work is part of the Eastern Tigrai Archaeological Project (ETAP) directed by Dr. Catherine D’Andrea of SFU. Elizabeth was part of a team of ETAP museum specialists tasked with creating a community museum in Adigrat, which has subsequently received high praise from the Ethiopian government and local community. 

Elizabeth brought this passion and experience to the MAE where her work focused on collections management, exhibit design, and the development of community outreach initiatives. Elizabeth’s latest exhibit was, “Sailing the Red Sea: Ancient Egyptian Maritime Exploration”. Along with her focus on archaeological collections, Elizabeth has adjacent interests in the historic development of Vancouver, unpacking concepts of multiculturalism, and the formation of community environments which she has brought to her new job as curator at the Vancouver Police Museum.

Jennifer Halliday is a recent SFU graduate with an honours BA in Archaeology.

Jennifer worked on writing a manual for the MAE volunteers which will help them understand handling and documentation procedures for bone artifacts. She was also involved with the ongoing lithic rehousing project and learning museum artifact photography. 

Denee graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2015 with a BA majoring in Archaeology and minoring in First Nations Studies along with a Certificate in Cultural Resource Management. Through involvement in the co-op and work study programs, she has had the opportunity to work in collections management with Parks Canada, with archival collections at the Nikkei National Museum, and with archaeological collections in the South Pacific Archaeology lab at Simon Fraser University. Currently she is pursuing her passion and looking into graduate studies to further her aspiration to find a career in museums. 

At the MAE, Denee worked on recreating the website on a new platform with a focus on creating and preserving exhibits in a digital format. She has also written up conservation case studies to serve as guides on how small museums can conserve, preserve, and maintain their collections. 

Kristen is a recent graduate from Simon Fraser University with a BA in archaeology and a Cultural Resource Management certificate. Kristen has experience working in CRM archaeology in Alberta and BC. She has also worked in several museum settings in Vancouver and for the cultural heritage group IPinCH (Intellectual Property in Cultural Heritage). She has studied abroad in England at the University of Nottingham and participated in the archaeological field school at San Jose de Moro in Peru. She most enjoys reading mountains of books and playing her flute in the SFU Concert Orchestra. 

Her work at the MAE consisted of rewriting and recreating new policies and procedures for the museum, revamping the new website, and working on open resources for the community, small museums, and teachers. Her interests in museum work focus on public programs as well as the involvement of interested and connected community members. 

Jan Anderson is finishing up two concurrent B.A. Env. Degrees in Archaeology and Geography. Her research interests include: Neanderthal studies, evolution and emergence of modern man, lithics, origins of fire, micromorphology, peopling of North America, and experimental archaeology. She has been recognized on the SFU President’s Honour Roll and is the recipient of two Vice-President’s Research Grants.

As a Research Associate in the SFU MAE, Jan is working with the Tse’K’Wa Lithic Collection, continuing research and analysis, producing a museum exhibit and a travelling exhibit and information material for the community; producing a Lithic Cataloging guide; working with Volunteer and Work Study students on the Lithic Rehousing Project; and working with fellow RA Robyn Ewing on developing database and museum protocols.

Melissa Rollit graduated from SFU in 2017 with a BA in Archaeology, and is pursuing her master's in museum studies. Her research interests include 19th century politics, representation of minorities in cultural institutions, and the interactions between museums and the public.

At the MAE, Melissa’s work primarily involved editing and maintaining the museum's website, which included updating old content to current formats and managing new content. She was involved in helping with the "Sailing the Red Sea" exhibit, and co-created the "Beyond the Mask" exhibit, which explored the fluidity of the West African experience. In addition to these projects, she has also worked on the Tse'K'wa project, helping to finalize the teaching kits and the corresponding website. 

Kelly Brown is a recent SFU graduate with an MA in Archaeology. Her graduate research involved developing a minimally impactful ancient DNA sampling technique for specific use on museum collection bone artifacts. 

Kelly’s work for the MAE included policy writing, exhibition design, and managing the MAE’s media outlets. Based on her MA research Kelly is drafting a “Destructive Testing Policy” for the museum, meant to help facilitate responsible access to collection artifacts for research purposes. She has also contributed to ongoing content maintenance and digitization projects for the MAE’s website and media outlets. 

In June 2016, Beth graduated from SFU with a certificate in Cultural Resource Management.  Prior to coming to SFU, she received her undergraduate Bachelor's degree in Classical Studies at Queen's University and a Masters degree in Egyptology at the University of Liverpool.  She has volunteered and worked in several museums in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia and participated in multiple Canadian and international archaeological field schools.  Her interests include ancient Egyptian culture, archaeology, reading and hiking.

As a Research Associate in the SFU MAE, Beth had assumed a leadership role in the lithic rehousing project, working closely with work study students and volunteers to catalogue and rehouse the extensive lithic collections at the MAE.  In addition, she  joined the team working on the Tse’K’wa project.  Her primary role was repurposing the content of "A Journey to a New Land", an interactive website about the Peopling of the Americas.  She also worked with fellow RAs to finalize cataloguing and museum procedures for RAs, volunteers and work study students.  

Two degrees, Two cats, One younger twin sister.

In the past, Sandi's work consisted of providing information security consulting to various Canadian government bodies and private businesses.

Sandi was a Research Associate at the MAE working on 3D printing and scanning. Additionally. she is volunteering in the geo-archaeology lab extracting phytoliths from samples under the direction of Dr. Francesco Berna.

Laura Termes completed her Master of Science in Osteoarchaeology at Bournemouth University. She interned as an archaeology collections curator at the SFU Museum of Archaeology in 2011, where she focused on Northwest coast artifacts, specifically scapula points. Selected results were published in The Midden (2013). Since the internship, she has been working as a consulting osteoarchaelogist.

After finishing his internship at the SFU Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in 2012, he started working at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, beginning as a collections associate and eventually becoming curator for the museum.

He is interested in archaeology and history, which he studied at UBC and Oxford. Working in museums has allowed Duncan to pursue many aspects of history and to interpret them for the public. The SFU RAship helped prepare him for work at the Vancouver Maritime Museum by giving him experience with collections management, cataloguing, creating exhibits, and project management. Duncan "really enjoyed the freedom he was given as an RA to create and pursue his own projects and to be involved with the major decisions made at the SFU museum".

For the near future, he plans to continue working at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, learning more about the maritime history of Vancouver, BC and Canada, but down the road he hopes to complete a PhD in Greek Archaeology.