Announcing our next Head of School: Professor Damian Robinson

The School is delighted to report that Professor Damian Robinson will take on the role of Head of School from September 2026. 

Professor Robinson joined the School as a Departmental Lecturer in Classical Archaeology in 2005 and became the Director of the Oxford Centre of Maritime Archaeology (OCMA) in 2007. For the last three years he has held the role of the Director of Graduate Studies for Archaeology and Archaeological Science. 

Damian’s research concentrates on port cities and their nautical assemblages, particularly the submerged landscapes of Alexandria and the Canopic coastline of Egypt where he works with the Institut Européen d’Archéologie Sous-Marine (IEASM). His research in Egypt and the OCMA are supported by the Hilti Foundation. 

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Robinson said: 

The School of Archaeology is a world-leading department across the full sweep of human history. Whether we work in the libraries, museums, and laboratories of Oxford, or in the field around the world, including of course under the sea, our collective research asks big questions about the past and present making the School an inspiring place to work. I’d like to thank our current HoS Professor Christopher Ramsey and my colleagues for entrusting me with this role and look forward to working with everyone in the School. 

From January 2026 until his new role begins, Damian will take on the role of Deputy to our current Head of School, Professor Christopher Ramsey.