Andy Ward
Andy Ward has a 1st class bachelor’s degree from the University of Kent in Ancient History and achieved distinction in his Heritage MA from the University of Wales Trinity St David. Throughout his educational experience he has focused on improving the public’s experience with and knowledge of archaeology, especially in regards to material culture. Through work at the Trust for Thanet Archaeology he gained valuable experience in making use of historical collections and creating and running “pop-up” museums. Andy also spent two years volunteering with the Kent Finds Liaison Officer (FLO), Jo Ahmet, helping him to record the county’s archaeology brought in by members of the public. Andy was the Historic Environment Record Assistant in East Sussex from 2017 until he joined The Kent Archaeological Society in February 2023.
Andy’s areas of interest are the Iron Age, public archaeology, increasing accessibility to archaeological collections through technology, and how archaeological information is received, used, and misinterpreted in the online world. His MA dissertation focuses on Pseudoarchaeology and how social media aids its spread, but also can be used to stop its harm. He has expertise in identifying, photographing and editing archaeological small finds, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and LiDAR interpretation. Outside of the archaeological world Andy is a keen woodcarver, a skill he picked up during the numerous lockdowns to pass the time. He mainly focuses on creating hiking sticks. He is also an avid tabletop wargamer playing both Warhammer 40k and Dungeons & Dragons.