Project Team

The Mariners' team comprises dedicated academics and research administrators who are passionate about telling the stories of our maritime history. Alongside them, our esteemed advisory board members provide invaluable guidance and strategic insights, ensuring our project's success.

Group photograph of the Mariners project team at the ss Great Britain – From left to right: Abi Freeman, Project Administrator; Asif Shakoor, community historian; Lucy Wray, University of Bristol; Sumita Mukherjee, University of Bristol; Claire Weatherall, Hull History Centre; Brad Beaven, University of Portsmouth; Hilary Carey, University of Bristol.

Project Team

Hilary Carey

Principal Investigator

Professor Hilary Carey is the PI for the Mariners project and is leading the workstream looking at British mariners in British ports.

Link to biography

Sumita Mukherjee

Co-Investigator

Professor Sumita Mukherjee is CoI for the Mariners project and is leading the workstream looking at the experiences of South Asian seaman, also known as 'lascars' in British ports.

Link to biography

Lucy Wray

Senior Research Associate

Dr Lucy Wray is a postdoctoral Senior Research Associate on the Mariners Project. She is working on the stream of the project focusing on the experiences of South Asian seaman, also known as 'lascars' in British ports.

Link to biography

Abi Freeman

Research Administrator

Abi Freeman is the Research Administrator for the Mariners project. She joined the University of Bristol in October 2023 and is also the Research Administrator for the Mapping the March: Medieval Wales and England, c.1282-1550 and the Welfare Citizenship and Intersectional Feminism projects.

Catherine Phipps

Senior Research Associate

Dr Catherine Phipps is a postdoctoral Senior Research Associate on the Mariners project focussing on the experiences of British mariners. She is currently a Lecturer in the History Department at the University of Bristol and will join the Mariners project from 1 September 2025.

Link to biography