Richard "Dick" Swete
Founder of the Serapis Project
The late Richard Swete, historian and nautical archaeologist, established the Serapis Project. John Paul Jones and his ships fascinated Mr. Swete even as a young boy. His lifelong goal was for all of Jones' ships to be found and archeologically investigated. Over the years, because of his interests and abilities, Mr. Swete was an active team member on more archaeological shipwreck projects than anyone else in the world. His work ethic under duress, observational abilities, and perception are legendary to those involved in the field of nautical archaeology. In addition to his experience in the field, he held a Master's Degree in Nautical Archaeology from Texas A&M University and he was PhD candidate at the College of William and Mary. He retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of captain and a veteran of the Vietnam War. After fulfilling his dream of finding the SERAPIS, Richard Swete died while working on the Serapis Project in 2000. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, children Rich and Erin Swete, Amy and Dave Pruett, Lynn and Jeff Blazy, seven grandchildren, his mother June Swete and many siblings, nieces and nephews.

Michael Tuttle
Board of Directors - Project Director
Michael Tuttle holds a B.A. in history from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an M.A. in history from the University of Maine, and a Masters of Literature in maritime studies from the Scottish Institute of Maritime Studies at St. Andrews University, Scotland. He is currently working on a PhD in American history at the Pennsylvania State University. He has over a decade of experience as a field maritime archaeologist and obtained a wide range of experience in such varied areas as the Great Lakes, the Atlantic seaboard, New England coastal rivers, the Gulf Coast, Western Rivers, and the Caribbean and the Pacific, as well as historic wreck sites in Scotland, the Netherlands and the Channel Islands in Europe, and Madagascar and Ghana in Africa. He has participated in well over 100 archaeological projects since beginning his professional career in 1995. Mr. Tuttle is certified and a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (ROPA 1999).
mct154@psu.edu (814) 777-0134

Dr. David Switzer
Executive Director of the Serapis Project
Gave Dick Swete the opportunity have his first hands-on nautical archaeological experience as a field school student at the Defence site in Penobscot Bay, Maine. Later he and Dick worked together on a underwater site in New Hampshire and at the Falkland Islands where Dick's under water engineering experience was a major factor in the recovery of the bow of the clipper ship Snow Squall. When the Serapis project was in its early stages, Switzer, then a department chair and professor of history at Plymouth State University, made the arrangements for the Institute for New Hampshire Studies at the university to become the Project fiscal agent. Although partially retired after 39 years of teaching history, Switzer continues as the Consulting Nautical Archaeologist for New Hampshire . In addition to co-authoring Snow Squall: The Last American Clipper Ship, he has published numerous articles and contributed book chapters. As Executive Director , Switzer acts in an advisory capacity and overseas the fiscal aspects of the project
dswitzer@SerapisProject.org
(603) 535-2500

Amy and Dave Pruett
Secretary, Board of Directors
Amy is the daughter of Richard Swete, the founder of the Serapis Project. After Mr. Swete's death, Amy and her husband Dave took on active roles to ensure the continuation of the Serapis Project. Amy is the Secretary of the Serapis Project Board of Directors. For Amy this project is like "coming home" after growing up surrounded by archaeologists and historians. Mr. Swete continues to teach!
aswete@SerapisProject.org
805-235-0001

Dr. Jean Aime Rakotoarisoa
Director of Instituut de Civilisations /Musee d’art et d’Archeology of the University of Antananarivo
Dr. Jean Aime Rakotoarisoa is the liaison between the Serapis Project through the University of New Hampshire studies and the University of Antananarivo. Without Dr. Rakotoarisoa the Serapis Project would not have been possible. Since its inception Dr. Rakotoarisoa has been the knowledgeable guide and leader of the Serapis Project in Madagascar.

Dr. Chantal Radimilahy
Archaeologist and director at the Instituut de Civilisations /Musee d'art et d' Archeology of the University of Antananarivo
Dr. Radimilahy is an integral part of the Serapis Project. She has been a part of the project since the beginning. She was invited by the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA to speak about the findings of the Serapis Project in April 2000. Dr. Radimilahy is a senior lecturer in Archaeology at the University in Madagascar. In addition, she works full time at the University Museum, undertaking archaeological research in many parts of the islands, and ensures the preservation of the archaeological collection. Dr. Radimilahy has bachelors in history and a master's degree in Archaeology from University of Madagascar. Also she holds a Ph. D in archaeology from Uppsala University in Sweden where she concentrated in her research about an ancient Swahili town in Northwestern Madagascar. In Paris Sorbonne, Dr. Radimilahy, prepared a Doctoral thesis about ancient iron metallurgy in Madagascar.

Richard "Kelly" Bumpass
Maritime Archaeologist / Diver
Kelly is A.B.T. from the program in maritime history and archaeology from East Carolina University, and holds a B.A. in anthropology from Texas A&M University. His thesis topic focuses on the archaeological investigations of the Stonewall wreck off Bermuda. He is also seasonally employed by Southern Oceans Archaeological Research (SOAR) St. Augustine, Florida and a contract archaeologist for Tidewater Archaeological Research of Washington, North Carolina, as well as Panamerican Consultants of Memphis Tennessee. Mr. Bumpass has experience on numerous underwater sites in the Africa, Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast. Due to his experience and knowledge in the field. Currently he is writing his masters thesis in preparation for its submittal.

Norine Carroll
Archaeological Diver & Conservation Specialist
Ms. Norine Carroll will act as an archaeological diver, in addition to serving as a conservation specialist for the project. Ms. Carroll holds a BA in literature and art history from The City University of New York at Queens College, and an MA in Museum Studies with a specialty in object conservation from the State University of New York at F.I.T. Ms. Carroll is equally at home on land, or beneath the sea. Her many skills as an archaeologist have enabled her to work on every facet of both maritime and terrestrial archaeological projects along the eastern seaboard of United States, as well as in the Caribbean, Asia and the Near East. She has worked as a freelance conservator, museum consultant, archivist, and field archaeologist, since 1992. Her focus as a conservator has been on materials from maritime archaeological sites in the Caribbean, Turkey, Israel, and North America. She is currently working as a conservator for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History

Greg Cook
Maritime Archaeologist
Mr. Cook is a Nautical Archaeologist at the University of West Florida's Archaeology Institute. He is A.B.D. from the program in anthropology at Syracuse University, and holds an M.A. in anthropology from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University and a B.A. in anthropology from Indiana University. His dissertation focuses on maritime trade in West Africa, where he directed the first shipwreck investigation in Ghana. Mr. Cook has over fifteen years of experience in the field of maritime archaeology, including work in the Caribbean, East Coast, Gulf Coast, Great Lakes and Western Rivers since 1994. He has extensive archaeological experience in Africa, both in Malawi and Ghana. Currently he is writing his dissertation in preparation for its submittal.

Michael Krivor
Dive Supervisor/ Maritime Archaeologist
Mr. Krivor received his M.A. in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology at East Carolina University in 1998. The subject of his thesis was the 1993 excavation of an 18th-century British merchantman off the northwest reef of Bermuda. Mr. Krivor also holds a B.A. from Humboldt State University in Aquatic Archaeology. He has extensive experience in maritime archaeology and submerged cultural resource management with a strong background in remote sensing and historic ship construction. Remote-sensing specialization's include comprehensive work with magnetometers, side scan sonar and Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS). Certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists (ROPA) since 1999, Mr. Krivor has authored over 65 reports and has presented sixteen papers at professional regional and international conferences. Mr. Krivor is currently the Maritime Project Manager for Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. (SEARCH) of Jonesville, Florida.

Dr. Douglas McElvogue
British Researcher, Serapis Project
Educated in the Shetland Islands, Douglas has had a long association and interest in all things concerned with the sea and diving. After graduating from the University of Wales, Bangor. Douglas studied maritime archaeology at the University of St Andrews, where he meet the current Serapis Project director Mike Tuttle. After spending a year working as a professional diver Douglas went back to Bangor to Study for a PhD in nautical archaeology. During this time he worked on and directed researcher on a number of sites throughout British waters, ranging in age and type from Mesolithic flint scatters and post Holocene landscapes to ships of the Spanish Armada and Swedish East India Company. Having published widely in academic and popular journals Douglas is currently employed by the Mary Rose Trust as their Senior Research Fellow, with a remit to finalise the recording of the ship for publication. Despite working full time for the Mary Rose Trust, Douglas still finds time to lecturer at the University of Sussex, and direct or consult on a number of external maritime projects, the Serapis included.

Prichard Smith
Film Maker
Prichard Smith is a documentary filmmaker. He was an associate and friend of Mr. Swete who enlisted Mr. Smith's service to document the Serapis Project for fundraising purposes, using both new video footage and footage provided from previous visits to Madagascar. After Mr. Swete's death Mr. Smith began an innovative filmmaking effort, aimed at creating public interest and support for the completion of the project that had been one of Dick's lifelong dreams. The result is an on-going documentary film, still titled The Serapis Project, which details Dick's career, his efforts toward finding the H.M.S Serapis, and his untimely death. The film has been supported entirely by Mr. Smith's personal funds, modest private donations, and the generous gifts of services by interested parties.

Smith studied at The University of Memphis, where he received a B.A. in communications. In 2001 his short documentary films Two Hundred Dollars on E-bay and Serapis Project, tied for first place in the Memphis Independent Film Festival. Now living in Brooklyn, he co-founded GO Pictures with Steve Loff. Most recent works include co-producing "Eviction," a short doc that premiered this past summer at the 9th Annual Brooklyn International Film Festival, and co-directing "Mr.Fascination," a feature-length doc currently in post-production.

TEAM MEMBER ALUMNI

Nicole Courissaka - Student of University of Toamasina - 2000 Expedition Team

Dr. Paul Hundley- Archaeologist - 2000 Expedition Team

Monica Hunter – Anthropologist - 2000 Expedition Team

Mike Meyers - Film Maker- 2000 Expedition Team

Eric Randrianantenaina - Student of University of Antananarivo - 2000 Expedition Team

Dr. Sheli Smith- Archaeologist / Museology - 2000 Expedition Team

Antonia Symes- Archaeological Conservator - 2000 Expedition Team