Michael Murray

Michael Murray currently resides in San Diego, California and is a PhD candidate in Archaeology through the University of Southampton where his study involves exploring the use of cutting-edge digital 3D recording techniques for underwater archaeology and marine exploration. He is an accomplished scientific diver, licensed surface-supplied diving technician, traditional sailboat captain, maritime studies educator, and more recently, 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry, and sonar processing specialist. Since 2014, he has been examining the archaeological efficacy of underwater laser scanning compared to close range micro-bathymetry sonar and photogrammetry through a generous grant by 2G Robotics and its post-production interpretive potential using Mixed Reality platforms supported by Oculus. His experience in underwater archaeology dates back to 1997 when he accepted an invitation to work as an assistant for Dr. Jerome Lynn Hall of Texas A&M University excavating the Monti Cristi Pipewreck; a rare 17th century Dutch smuggling ship with the 3rd largest documented cache of clay pipes found in the new world located off the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Mr. Murray has had the good fortune throughout his career of participating on several high-profile underwater recording and excavation projects including: a survey of several German and British WWI mine laying submarines in the English Channel in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the UKs involvement in WWI, the National Geographic sponsored Aucilla River Pre-history project in the Panhandle of Florida looking for evidence of the first Native Americans on the continent, and as one of two lead divers in the 2015 archaeological recording and recovery of artifacts of the CSS Georgia; one of the first Confederate Ironclads built in 1861 during the American Civil War.