Folks:

About three years ago East Carolina University graduate student Michelle
Damian began her MA research on Japanese wooden boats as depicted in
woodblock prints.  She also began the first student research project
journal on the MUA website.  She took her readers with her as she
conducted her research, wrote about traveling to Japan to visit museums
and interview traditional shipwrights, and recorded the highs and lows of
the MA journey.  Along the way she received numerous emails, suggestions,
and invitations that greatly enhanced her studies.  Her journal introduced
Japanese maritime art and history to a western audience and provides an
excellent resource for future students who wish to see what conducting
maritime research is like.  Last month she successfully defended her
thesis and completed her degree and so it is fitting that she has now
posted her final entry to this important project journal.

The MUA would like to thank Michelle for posting with us and is happy to
say that she will continue to contribute to the site as our exhibits
editor.

You can view her final entry by click on the link on home page here:

http://www.themua.org

Best regards,

T. Kurt Knoerl
Director
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology