Episode 5: Kayt Armstrong

In our fifth episode, I have a good chat with Dr Kayt Armstrong. Kayt has done some really interesting research and surveyed some incredible spaces, so please enjoy the blog below or scroll to the bottom for the podcast episode! To read more about Kayt, the link to her blog is here as well – scroll down to find it…

Kayt initially graduated from Southampton University in 2006 with a BA in Archaeology and an MSc in Archaeological Computing. She then won a funded PhD place at Bournemouth University and completed her doctoral thesis on applied archaeological geophysical prospection in peatland environments in 2010.

Following this, Kayt undertook 3 post-doctoral research posts, in the Netherlands, Greece and at Durham University, all of which made combined use of her geophysical, geoarchaeological and GIS expertise in landscape archaeology projects in areas (and time periods) as diverse as the Italian Bronze Age and the early 20th Century in County Durham. Kayt also delivered teaching to undergraduates, postgraduates and peers in her areas of specialism.

In the field of geophysics, Kayt has many years of experience in field survey and project management, undertaking surveys throughout the British Isles and in Europe. These include complex large scale infrastructure corridors and 1000ha+ surveys, as well as community projects and specialised urban GPR. In between her post-doctoral research posts, Kayt gained 4 years’ experience in commercial archaeology in the UK, initially as a geophysical surveyor, and then as reporting officer and later Head of Quality at Magnitude Surveys. Kayt’s research background and international perspective gives her a depth of insight into archaeological geophysics, in particular for ‘difficult’ environments where novel solutions are needed. She also has a broad knowledge of geosciences and their potential archaeological applications.

Kayt also assists the board of the Castle Studies Trust in assessing funding applications that include the use of geophysics, and sat on the management committee of the International Society for Archaeological Prospection for a full six-year term. Kayt also represents the UK in the EU funded COST Action SAGA, which seeks to strengthen the links between geophysical prospection and geoscience in archaeological prospection, and participates in the CIfA GeoSIG and the panel on professional standards.