Entering the World of Marine Heritage

Entering the World of Marine Heritage

My background is in applied data science and statistics, and I have always been interested in how good data supports better decisions. Joining the MDEHA team for six weeks via the Emerging Talent Placements Programme, gave me the chance to work with new kinds of datasets and understand how marine evidence is approached in practice.
The placement gave me the chance to apply analytical thinking to a heritage challenge and understand how data influences decision making across England’s offshore and coastal areas.

Working Behind the Scenes of a Predictive Model

A major part of my placement was supporting the early development of a shipwreck prediction model within the Sensitivity and Opportunity work package.
Here, I helped with:

• Exploring relevant datasets used in previous marine work
• Contributing to early feature considerations
• Model selection and testing.

This experience combined technical modelling with real heritage questions and showed me how predictive tools can support large scale evidence work.

Making Marine Evidence More Accessible

Alongside modelling, I co-authored an article to help explain parts of the MDEHA programme. This gave me experience translating technical processes such as data integration, analysis and evidence structuring into clear writing for wider audiences.

Learning from a Collaborative Team Environment

Working in an office alongside the MDEHA team was an important part of the placement. Being around colleagues from archaeology, environmental science and data roles helped me understand how marine evidence is handled day to day.
The supportive environment made it easy to ask questions, contribute ideas and learn how decisions are made across the project. It also strengthened my confidence in a professional team setting.

How Marine Evidence Is Brought Together

Across the placement, I gained a clearer view of how marine heritage evidence is gathered, managed and used. I learned:

• How data from different sources is migrated, aligned and combined.
• How workflows support consistent analysis and long-term management.
• How collaboration across teams shapes planning in the marine environment.

This helped me understand the scale of the evidence programme and the range of expertise involved.

Looking Ahead

My time with the MDEHA team has shown me how data science can support heritage protection. I plan to continue building my skills in geospatial analysis, modelling and evidence communication while staying open to roles where data contributes to sustainable and informed decision making.
This placement has broadened my perspective and strengthened my understanding of how evidence supports responsible change along England’s coasts and offshore landscapes.