Mel has worked as an excavator and supervisor on many archaeological excavations and surveys in Britain since her graduation in 1996. She has undertaken numerous archaeological projects for CFA and research projects associated with Edinburgh University covering a broad spectrum of project types and a wide chronological range.

Since joining CFA in January 2002, Mel has co-directed the excavation of a rampart section at Burghead Fort, Moray, the excavation of 18th century garden features at Caroline Park House, Edinburgh, and assisted in the excavation of a large Bronze Age palisaded enclosure near Newton Mearns. She has directed the excavation of a bloomery mound in Highland, and of Gilmerton Cove, Edinburgh, an underground dwellling. She was leader of the archaeological response team for the Aberdeen to Lochside Natural Gas Pipeline, directing excavations at a range of sites including prehistoric cairnfields, Iron Age settlements, and Medieval or Later Rural Settlements, along with site surveys, fieldwalking and evaluations. She has also conducted a range of evaluations, watching briefs and walkover reconnaissance surveys.

Mel acts as CFA’s Post-Excavation Manager, assuming responsibility for scheduling all post-excavation works, producing Costed Assessment, liaising with specialists, archiving, and ensuring that post-excavation programmes are completed to budget and deadline.

Mel’s main areas of interest are in Later Prehistoric pottery and the archaeology of the Outer Hebrides from 500 BC to 1000 AD. She has completed a PhD thesis on the Iron Age pottery of the Outer Hebrides. She also directs a research project through the University of Edinburgh on prehistoric field remains at Calanais, Isle of Lewis. She has presented papers at national conferences.

Mel has published a number of pottery reports, has co-authored a publication report on excavations at a chambered tomb on North Uist, and has written over 50 technical reports for clients.