Staff Profile

Current Research Projects/Groups

• 2022 Ballast Hills Burial Ground

Qualifications

• BA (Honours) in Anthropology, Wichita State University (USA) 1984
• MA in Anthropology, Wichita State University (USA) 1986 Thesis Title: Dental attrition and alveolar resorption: a case study of Williams 1 (34-Lf24)
• PhD in Anthropology, Ohio State University (USA) 1992 Dissertation Title: Late prehistoric populations in the Ohio area: biological affinities and stress indicators

Publication and Research Summary

• ORCiD
• Google Scholar
• ResearchGate
• Academic.edu

Previous Positions

• 2024-25 Reserach Assocaite, ViTAL Living Lab, School of Engineering, Newcastle University (NU)
• 2021-24 Research Associate, Empower Project, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, NU
• 2018-21 Research Associate, School of Engineering, NU
• 2017-18 Research Impact Development Officer, School of Engineering, NU
• 2015-16 Development Officer, Learning and Teaching Development Service, NU
• 2006-16 Lecturer, ICCHS and/or HCA, NU
• 2008-13 Academic Tutor/Lecturer, University of Sunderland
• 1995-06 Physical Anthropologist, US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)
• 2001      Guest Lecturer, NU
• 1995      Instructor, Baker University
• 1994-13 Adjunct Faculty, Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas
• 1994-95 Archaeologist, Reclamation
• 1993-94 Research Technician II, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• 1993      Certified K-12 Substitute Teacher, Tucson Unified School District
• 1990-92 Graduate Research Assistant, Ohio State University (OSU)
• 1992      Contractor, US Corps of Engineers
• 1990      Research Assistant, Peabody Museum, Harvard University
• 1990      Contractor, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)
• 1989-92 Contractor, Archaeological Data Services
• 1989-90 Staff Osteologists, OSU Excavations at Isthmia
• 1987-92 Teaching Associate, OSU
• 1987-92 Contractor, Franklin County Coroner's Office in Ohio
• 1987      Field Archaeologist, ODOT
• 1987      Teaching Assistant, OSU
• 1985-87 Contractor, Sedgwick County Coroner's Office in Kansas
• 1985      Research Assistant, Wichita State University (WSU)
• 1984-85 Teaching Assistant, WSU

My professional journey spans heritage resource management, collection curation, anthropology, and perception studies, and I apply this blend of experience to practical and impactful work.

I focus on preserving and interpreting the past while supporting communities as environments change. I have worked with cultural heritage collections and landscapes, and I develop engaging outputs such as interpretation, educational materials, and content that helps people connect with history.

Training in human osteology and mortuary archaeology informs my understanding of past lives and cultural practices. Work in physical anthropology strengthens this further through attention to human biological variation and deep time.

Stakeholder engagement sits at the centre of my approach. I work collaboratively to understand different perspectives on heritage, with meaningful conversations guiding decisions about caring for the dead and the places linked with them. My experience with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act strengthens my commitment to respectful practice and to supporting diverse worldviews related to burial spaces and human remains.

My research also addresses global sustainability challenges. I work with communities in India to understand what helps or hinders improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene. I use a social science lens to show how behavioural data and community priorities must guide new technologies and Net Zero ambitions.

Public engagement runs throughout my career, and my projects promote cultural diversity, heritage awareness, and environmental responsibility. I value working alongside marginalised groups, whose histories and experiences shape richer and more inclusive understandings of the world we share.

I currently hold a research-only contract, although teaching and learning remain important parts of my academic practice. Previous roles have included university teaching, lifelong learning programmes, and museum education, which allowed me to support learners of different ages and backgrounds. I am keen to contribute to teaching where it aligns with my expertise in heritage, osteology, mortuary archaeology, and ethical engagement with communities, and I welcome opportunities to help students apply knowledge in meaningful contexts.

• Articles

  • Campfens JK, Binder CR, Censoro J, Giesen M. From play to practice: Using principles of causal loop diagrams and serious games to foster systems thinking in energy transitions. Energy Research & Social Science 2025, 130, 104445.
  • Hirst RW, Giesen MJ, Peppa MV, Jobling K, Jadhav D, Ahammad SZ, Namdeo A, Graham DW. Modeling of Air Quality near Indian Informal Settlements Where Limited Local Monitoring Data Exist. Atmosphere 2024, 15(9), 1072.
  • Iyer G, Giesen MJ, Juneja R, Graham DW. Strategic value of interviewer training and local community-based organisations for WaSH and antibiotic resistance surveys. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2021, 11(4), 535-545.
  • Graham DW, Giesen MJ, Bunce JT. Strategic approach for prioritizing local and regional sanitation interventions for reducing global antibiotic resistance. Water 2019, 11(1), 27.
  • Mazel AD, Giesen MJ. Engagement and Management: Developing a Monitoring System for Open-air Rock Art in the UK and Ireland. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 2019, 21(3), 160-183.
  • Turner M, Dowsland S, Mazel A, Giesen M. Rock art CARE: A cross-platform mobile application for crowdsourcing heritage conservation data for the safeguarding of open-air rock art. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development 2018, 8(4), 420-433.
  • Mazel A, Giesen M. Mobile app developed to support the protection of UK and Irish rock art. International Newsletter on Rock Art 2018, 82, 22-25.
  • Giesen MJ, Ung A, Warke PA, Christgen B, Mazel AD, Graham DW. Condition assessment and preservation of open-air rock art panels during environmental change. Journal of Cultural Heritage 2014, 15(1), 49-56.
  • Giesen MJ, Mazel AD, Graham DW, Warke PA. Care and Management of Ancient Stone Monuments during Environmental Change. International Journal of Heritage and Sustainable Development 2011, 1(1), 60-71.
  • Giesen MJ, Czaplicki JS. Over Fifty Years of Dam Good Archeology: An Introduction to the Bureau of Reclamation's Cultural Resources Program. Cultural Resource Management 2000, 23(1), 3-4.

• Book Chapters

  • Mazel AD, Giesen MJ, Turner M, Dowsland S. Rock Art Monitoring in the UK and Ireland: the CARE Toolkit – Going Online and Using Mobile Data. In: Batarda Fernandes, António; Marshall, Melissa; Domingo, Inés, ed. Global Perspectives for the Conservation and Management of Open-Air Rock Art Sites. London and New York: Routledge, 2023, pp.141-160.
  • Giesen MJ. Human Remains. In: François Mairesse, ed. Dictionary of Museology. London: Routledge, 2023, pp.227-229.
  • Mazel A, Giesen M. CARE Rock Art Monitoring App and Portal. In: Agnew, N., Deacon, J., Hall, N., Little, T., McClintock, T., Robinson, P., Sullivan, S. and Taçon, P, ed. Networking for Rock Art: Global Challenges, Local Solutions. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2022, pp.89-92.
  • Giesen MJ, Mazel AD, Graham DW, Warke PA. The Preservation and Care of Rock-Art in Changing Environments: A View from Northeastern England, United Kingdom. In: Darvill T; Batarda Fernandes AP, ed. Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2014, pp.38-52.
  • Giesen M. The Protection and Repatriation of Native American Cultural Items in the United States. In: Redfern, R; Bekvalac, J; Bonney, H; Clegg, M, ed. Global Ancestors: Understanding the Shared Humanity of our Ancestors. Woodbridge, USA: Oxbow Books, 2013, pp.34-49.
  • Giesen M. Introduction: Human Remains Curation in the United Kingdom. In: Giesen, M, ed. Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell & Brewer, 2013, pp.1-11.
  • Giesen M, White L. International Perspectives towards Human Remains Curation. In: Giesen, M, ed. Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell & Brewer, 2013, pp.13-23.
  • Giesen M, McCarrison K, Park V. Dead and Forgotten?: Some Observations on Human Remains Documentation in the UK. In: Giesen, M, ed. Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom. Woodbridge: Boydell & Brewer, 2013, pp.53-64.
  • Giesen MJ, Mazel AD, Graham DW, Warke PA. The resilience and care of ancient stone monuments in changing environments. In: Amoêda, R; Lira, S; Pinheiro, C, ed. Heritage 2010: Heritage and Sustainable Development. Barcelos: Green Lines Institute, 2010, pp.515-523.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Giesen Myra, Heidrich Oliver. The Living Lab for Sustainable Resilience in Military Settings Through Interconnectivity . In: 12th International Conference on Industrial Ecology (ISIE2025). 2025, Singapore: ISIE.
  • Turner M, Dowsland S, Mazel A, Giesen M. Rock Art CARE: A cross platform mobile application for crowdsourcing heritage conservation data for the safeguarding of open-air rock art. AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2017, OTTAWA, CANADA. In: Digital Workflows for Heritage Conservation. 2017, Ottawa, Canada.
  • Mazel AD, Graham D, Warke P, Giesen M. A responsibility of CARE: heritage and science in the service of safeguarding threatened ancient rock art. In: Sustaining the Impact of UK Science and Heritage Research: Contributions to the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Programme Conference. 2013, London: AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Programme.
  • Giesen MJ. Native American human remains in UK collections: implications of NAGPRA to consultation, repatriation, and policy development. In: Ninth Annual Conference of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology. 2009, Department of Archaeology, University of Reading: Archaopress.

• Edited Book

  • Giesen M, ed. Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2013.