IMAGES: GETTY; UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA
UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA Studying the past to prepare for the future
Marine geoarchaeologist Dr Beverly Goodman-Tchernov blends archaeology, geology and anthropology to explore the past, present and future of coastlines around the world. The University of Haifa’s Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences provided the perfect setting for her research to thrive, and it offers the same opportunities to curious international students
Reconstructing the way nature and humans have impacted coastlines in the past can help us prepare for the risks of today — as well as predict what the future might hold. This is precisely the field of study of Dr Beverly Goodman-Tchernov, associate professor at the University of Haifa’s Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, where she heads the Dr Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences. Evidence of climate-linked environmental
trends, such as sea-level changes and fluctuations in precipitation, is stored in every coastline’s sedimentary record. The work of Dr Goodman-Tchernov aims to unlock this natural archive, studying the archaeology, geology and anthropology of marine systems to reconstruct past coastal configurations, events and environmental changes. “It involves a lot of field work,” she says of her
work, “much of which happens right in the sea or on the coastline.” Collecting samples is a varied task: some projects incorporate detailed underwater excavations, carefully documenting both archaeological remains and natural materials; others involve drones and other remote sensing techniques to see through to the seafloor or visualize a broader area.
Dr Beverly Goodman- Tchernov studies the past and future of coastlines
Her work has taken her around the world,
from Mexico and the U.S. to the Galápagos and Crete, to investigate events as varied as desert flashfloods in Israel, the tsunami caused by the eruption of the Thera volcano in modern-day Santorini, Bronze-Age harbor sites in Turkey and Maya maritime societies in the Yucatan. Throughout all her travels, her base has firmly remained the University of Haifa. “My relationship with Haifa started in 1995,
when I was an anthropology student at the University of Wisconsin,” says Dr Goodman- Tchernov. She took part in excavations at the Israeli city of Caesarea, known for its archaeological park, where she met Professor Avner Raban, the late founder of the university’s Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies — an encounter that would change her career path. “At the end of my postdoctoral research
project, I hoped to join a marine geosciences department, but I presumed this was an unlikely dream: no such place existed in Israel,” she says. “To my surprise and joy, the Charney School of Marine Sciences was established at that time, and marine geosciences was the first department to open. It was kismet. I was thrilled when, a few years later, I was able to join this new project.”
With coastal populations increasing as sea
levels continue to rise, the insight gleaned by her work is ever more important. It can help prepare for hazards; thanks to her findings, for instance, tsunami signs and evacuation routes are now visible all along the Israeli coastline. “The best way to make a positive impact is to
follow a path that reflects your passions,” says Dr Goodman-Tchernov. “Now, of course, if you really want to do that — in particular, if you want to affect the marine realm — our program will provide you with the platform to make a difference.” The Department of Marine Geosciences offers
an international master’s program as well as PhD opportunities. Dr Goodman-Tchernov’s Marine Geoarchaeology and Micropaleontology Lab — a branch of National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project — has also numerous projects suitable for MSc, PhD and postdoctoral activities, on Dead Sea change, geoarchaeology and more. “There are so many reasons to choose Haifa
for marine sciences,” she says. “The diverse, nearby water bodies allow to incorporate theoretical learning with hands-on experience. It still amazes me that, within a single day, it’s possible to be at both the Red and Mediterranean seas – places that are all considered local.”
2022 | Israeli Academia 13
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