Laura is a Ph.D. student in Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and a research associate of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA). She has an MS in Archaeological Sciences from the University of Bradford, and a BS/BA in Marine Sciences/ Maritime Studies from TAMU Galveston. Laura’s research interests are in ancient ship construction, specifically analytical chemical applications in the discipline. She is also particularly interested in promoting safe and efficient diving practices on archaeological sites. As a NAUI Instructor; she is both TAMU and INA’s Assistant Diving Safety Officer and teaches courses in scientific diving. She has served as the DSO for INA shipwreck excavations in Spain and Sri Lanka, and participates in the excavation of the Mazotos shipwreck in Cyprus.