Sue O'Connor facts for kids

Sue O'Connor is a famous Australian archaeologist. She is a professor at the Australian National University. Professor O'Connor studies how people lived long ago. She looks for clues about the first humans who moved into the Indo-Pacific area during the Pleistocene Ice Age.

Learning About the Past

Sue O'Connor loved learning about history. She studied archaeology at the University of New England (Australia). She finished her first degree with honors in 1980. Later, she earned her PhD from the University of Western Australia in 1991. A PhD is a very high university degree.

Her Work as an Archaeologist

Professor O'Connor taught at the University of Western Australia from 1991 to 1994. In 1994, she joined the Australian National University (ANU). She became a research fellow there. She worked in the Department of Archaeology and Natural History.

In 2005, she became the head of her department. By 2008, she was a full professor. Professor O'Connor has led many important digs. She has worked in Australia's Northern Territory and the Kimberley (Western Australia) region. She has also done research in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor Leste.

Her work in the Kimberley region showed that ancient people lived there over 40,000 years ago. She also found the earliest signs of rock art in Australia.

Amazing Discoveries

Professor O'Connor and her teams have made many exciting finds. These discoveries help us understand early human history.

East Timor Cave Discoveries

Professor O'Connor led a team that found a cave in East Timor. Inside, they found proof that people lived there over 42,000 years ago. This is the oldest sign of modern humans living on the islands. These islands were like stepping stones from Southeast Asia to Australia.

Before her research, many thought early humans traveled north. They believed people went through Borneo and Sulawesi. Then they would go south through Papua New Guinea to Australia. But O'Connor's new findings suggest a different path. She believes early humans traveled south through East Timor to reach Australia.

Ancient Dogs in East Timor

Professor O'Connor also worked on a team studying a dog burial. This burial was found at a place called Matja Kuru in East Timor. Their research suggests that people had tamed dogs there about 3,000 years ago.

The bones of the ancient dog looked very similar to modern pet dogs. This discovery shows that people might have still been hunting and gathering food at that time.

Oldest Fish Hooks Found

In 2017, Professor O'Connor's team found the world's oldest fish hooks. They were at an ancient burial site on Alor Island, Indonesia. They found five round, spinning fish hooks. These hooks were likely used for deep-sea fishing.

They were found near the head of an adult female skeleton. This person was buried 12,000 years ago. This discovery was surprising. It suggested that women might have been fishing in the deep sea too. Before this, the oldest fish hooks found with a burial were from Siberia. Those were about 9,000 years old.

In July 2024, Professor O'Connor was chosen as a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy. This is a very high honor.

Awards and Honors

Professor O'Connor has received many important awards for her work:

• 1999–2003 Australian Research Council QEII Fellowship
• 2007 Elected Fellow, Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA)
• 2011 Rhys Jones Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Archaeology
• 2012 Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship
• 2018 ANU Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research
• 2024 Elected as a Fellow of the British Academy