Page 18 - Green - Maritime Archaeology: A Technical Handbook. 2nd ed

Acknowledgments xvii
of support is Ray Sutcliff, an old friend and colleague who has helped in film projects, including the immensely successful BBC Chronicle pro- gramme on the Batavia, sadly the last program of the series that the BBC produced.
In the United States Thomas Wilcox, of Marine Sonic Technology, has been a constant source of advice and assistance in the operation of our side scan sonar.
In Sri Lanka I have been involved in a project developing a maritime archaeological programme in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Department of Archaeology, the Postgraduate Institute for Archaeological Research (PGIAR), and the Central Cultural Fund. Instigated by Professor Senake Bandaranayake of the PGIAR and Dr. Kenneth McPherson of the Indian Ocean Centre at Curtin University of Technology (now regrettably defunct), this programme has led to a long and fruitful collaboration with Somasiri Devendra, and continued a research program with Robert Parthe- sius, with whom I had worked earlier in the Netherlands on the Batavia project. Initially the work in Sri Lanka was funded by an Australian Research Council grant and later with Australian National Centre of Excel- lence funding which is explained below. This project now continues with funding from the Netherlands Government under direction of Robert Parthesius.
I would like to acknowledge the recognition given to the Western Australian Museum, when in 1995, the Australian Federal Government announced the Creative Nation Statement, in which the Museum was made a National Centre of Excellence for Maritime Archaeology and received a 3-year special purpose grant. This provided an opportunity for the Depart- ment of Maritime Archaeology to embark on an imaginative programme to develop maritime archaeology on a national and international level. It marked a time of immense activity for the Department. We were able to develop new technology and assist in numerous national and international projects and published numerous reports and technical works. It is hoped that in the future, similar schemes can be initiated; hopefully with longer term funding that will provide that ‘quantum leap’ that disciplines such as maritime archaeology need to maintain their cutting edge.
Much of the work of the Department has been supported by grant giving organisations. In particular I would like to thank the Australian Research Grant Scheme for long and continued support. The Australian Common- wealth Department Heritage and Environment, the Churchill Foundation, the Australian Academy of the Humanities, the Japan Foundation, the Western Australia-China Economic and Technical Research Fund Grant, the Australia China Council, and the Australia Japan Foundation that have all given me financial support for projects.