Alumni Spotlight: Melanie Damour

Melanie Damour is a marine archaeologist and two-time Florida State University alumna who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Department of Anthropology, part of the College of Arts and Sciences, in 1998 and 2002, respectively. Damour serves as the environmental studies coordinator for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s regional office in New Orleans—part of the United States Department of the Interior—and she also leads interdisciplinary research in underwater archaeology.

Tell us a little about your background, where you’re from, and what brought you to FSU?

I’m originally from New Hampshire. I learned to scuba dive at eight years old, and I dreamed of turning my passion for exploring the underwater world into a profession. My love for history and science led me to discover underwater archaeology in high school, which perfectly combined my interests. I heard that FSU’s Department of Anthropology had a program focusing on underwater archaeology and felt it was right for me.

Can you break down your area of research for us?

As a marine archaeologist, I study historic shipwrecks using an interdisciplinary approach integrating archaeology, ecology and geology. My research allows us to address broader questions within ocean science, not just those specific to archaeology. For the past decade, my research has used shipwrecks as innovative seafloor sentinels, including as habitats that can serve as indicators of environmental change. For example, I worked with microbial ecologists to study the microorganisms — including bacteria, archaea, and fungi — that colonized shipwrecks to observe how their communities shifted over time to monitor ecosystem recovery after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf, one of the largest marine oil spills in history.

What inspired you to pursue marine archaeology?

As a kid, I loved visiting the USS Constitution — launched in 1797, it is the world’s oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat — in Boston. Walking its wooden decks made history feel real, and I became fascinated by historic ships and the stories they can tell. In 1986, my parents took me to the Boston Sea Rovers Annual International Ocean Symposium where recreational and professional divers around the world shared presentations on their work. I was nine when I saw Bob Ballard, the famed oceanographer and marine geologist, present the first publicly aired footage of the RMS Titanic. I realized then that I wanted to study shipwrecks, not just find them.

Can you tell us more about your position with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management?

BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program, established in 1973 under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, funds studies ensuring BOEM’s decisions are informed by strong environmental science. I’ve been with the agency for more than 18 years and have served as the Gulf region’s environmental studies coordinator for the past 15. In addition to coordinating the region’s studies program, I also manage and oversee environmental studies related to submerged archaeological resources and co-author articles to share findings with scientists, the public and other stakeholders.

Can you share more about your experience working on the “Lost Ships of Henry Morgan” project in Panama?

Separate from my day job at BOEM, I also conduct personal research on shipwrecks in the Caribbean and Latin America. Sir Henry Morgan was a 17th-century British privateer who led raids against Spanish strongholds in the Caribbean, and his shipwrecks reveal insights into colonial-era privateering activity and conflict. As part of the Henry Morgan project — led by Texas State University’s Meadows Center for Water and the Environment in collaboration with other institutions — I investigated a Spanish barge that sank in 1681. The barge’s wooden chests, their contents, and even the bottom of the hull were still intact. Preservation of a late 17th-century wooden-hulled Spanish shipwreck is extremely rare, so working at this site was both a privilege and a challenge. Sitting 30 feet deep where a river meets the Caribbean Sea off Panama’s coast, the wreck was subject to shifting tides, strong currents and winds, which felt like mapping a shipwreck inside a washing machine.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The interdisciplinary nature as well as the opportunity to work with scientists and engineers from other federal agencies, universities, and the private sector are the most enjoyable parts of my job. I learn so much by working with people whose expertise and acquired knowledge are different than my own.

Can you share an exciting breakthrough in your research that you're passionate about?

After more than a decade of collaborating with microbial ecologists, our biggest breakthrough is discovering that shipwrecks have a detectable influence on microbial community composition as far as 650 feet away in the surrounding seafloor. This was an unexpected result that’s since sparked several new studies in shipwreck microbial ecology.

What are some current goals or projects you’re working on?

One of my current projects is the BOEM-funded “Offshore Analysis of Seafloor Instability and Sediments” study. This study is re-mapping the Mississippi River Delta Front off the coast of Louisiana, which was last comprehensively mapped in 1980. The area is prone to underwater mudslides and contains dozens of known shipwrecks. By tracking shipwreck movement, we’re learning how often mudslides occur, their trajectories and what triggers them. A machine learning component is also helping identify high-risk areas for mudslides.

Are there any faculty or staff members who inspired you?

My master’s thesis adviser and former FSU assistant professor of anthropology Michael Faught inspired me most. Although he wasn’t a shipwreck archaeologist by expertise, his never-ending support and encouragement gave me the confidence to keep going. I was the only woman in my 1998 graduate cohort pursuing underwater archaeology, and I’m grateful for the persistence, resilience and self-confidence that he instilled in me.

What advice do you have for current students?

Change can be scary, but don’t be afraid to walk through an unanticipated door of opportunity. At worst, you learn you don’t want to continue that path. At best, you gain valuable skills, knowledge, and experience that will serve you well moving forward.