Main areas of research: British colonialism in Malta, identity and nationalism, Islam in Malta, Islamic archaeology, Roman archaeology, archaeology and colonialism, Maltese Canadian immigration.
Current institution:
Email:
Citizenship:
Department of History, University of Western Ontario
nklemen@uwo.ca
Canadian, Maltese (EU)
Work Experience
Heritage Malta
Curator (Roman Archaeology)
May 2024 – Present
Delta Upsilon Western Ontario
Project Historian & Archivist
Jan 2024 – May 2024
Maltese-Canadian Museum
Collections & Outreach Coordinatior
Sept 2022 – Apr 2024
Museum of Ontario Archaeology
Collections & Digitisation Technician
Sept 2023 – Dec 2023
Heritage Malta
Collections & Digitisation Assistant
June 2023 – Sept 2023
Gabii Project
Finds Assistant
May 2022 – June 2023
Research Assistant
May 2021 – Aug 2021
University of Western Ontario
Oral History Researcher
Jan 2023 – May 2023
Teaching Assistant
Sept 2022 – Dec 2022
Carleton University
Researcher
April 2022 – Sept 2022
Museum of Classical Antiquities (University of Ottawa)
Collections Manager
Nov 2019 – May 2022
Goulbourn Museum
Exhibitions Coordinator
Sept 2021 – Mar 2022
Assistant Museum Administrator
May 2021 – Sept 2021
Communications Administrator
Sept 2020 – Apr 2021
Museum Assistant
May 2020 – Aug 2020
Dominican University College
Exhibitions Technician
Jul 2020 – Aug 2020
Newcastle Village & District Historical Society
Digitisation Technician
Jan 2019 – Aug 2019
Oshawa Museum
Curatorial Assistant
Jan 2019 – May 2019
Clarington Museums & Archives
Museum & Archival Assistant
Mar 2015 – May 2019
Education
University of Western Ontario
MA Public History
Cognate thesis: “Unearthing Colonial Legacies: The History of British Colonialism and Archaeological Museums in Malta”
2022 – 2023
Carleton University
BA (Hons.) History and Greek & Roman Studies
Minors in Medieval & Early Modern Studies and Archaeology
2019 – 2022
Publications
“A New Perspective on a Maltese Medieval Islamic Tombstone through the Notebooks of Themistocles Zammit,” Malta Cultural Annual 1, no. 1 (forthcoming 2024).
The SoHo Story: A Report on the Historical Significance of London’s SoHo Neighbourhood, London, ON: University of Western Ontario, forthcoming June 2023, co-authors M. Bodnar, M. Hamilton, J. Hugh, et al.
“Roman Imperial Coins in the Collection of the Museum of Classical Antiquities,” University of Ottawa, April 2022, co-authors C. Storm, G. Parkes, T. Wort, et al.
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Roman Spolia and the Practice of Islam in the Medieval Central Mediterranean,” The Haley Classical Journal, Feb 2022.
“The Puglisevich Family in Canada,” The Maltese Presence in North America, 2021.
Presentations
“Poking and Prodding at History: Using 3D Printed Artefacts to Enhance Neurodivergent Museum Experiences,” NeuroGLAM Canada 2023 Conference, Virtual, 11 August 2023, YouTube.
“Teaching Critical Thinking with Unprovenanced Artefact Collections,” Classical Association of Canada Annual Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 11 May 2023.
“What Lies in Museum Exhibitions? Misinterpretations of Malta’s Medieval Islamic Past,” AÉDDHUM Annual Conference, Montreal, Quebec, 16 March 2023.
“Exhibiting Colonial Power: How British Colonial Projects Shaped Heritage & Identity in Malta,” National Council on Public History Annual Conference (Poster Session), Atlanta, Georgia, 13 April 2023.
“Colonialism at the Museum: British Colonialism and the Development of Museums in Malta,” McCaffrey Seminar Series, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, 12 January 2022, YouTube.
“When Ancient Meets Modern: Student Work at uOttawa’s Museum of Classical Antiquities,” American Institute of Archaeology (Ottawa Chapter), Ottawa, Ontario, 10 April 2022, co-presenter C. Storm, YouTube.
Awards
John D. Wilson Graduate Internship Award | University of Western Ontario | Apr 2023
William Edgar Travel Award | University of Western Ontario | Apr 2023
Ontario Graduate Scholarship | University of Western Ontario | Aug 2022
Underhill Prize | Carleton University | June 2022
Senate Medal | Carleton University | June 2022
Coulson Memorial Scholarship | Carleton University | Sept 2021
Jocelyn Maynard Scholarship | Carleton University | Sept 2021
Leħen Malti Maltese Canadian Scholarship | Dec 2020
Top Academic Scholarship | Carleton University | Sept 2019
Projects
Digitisation of the Department of Classical Studies’ Artefact Collection | University of Western Ontario | Sept 2022 – present
Collaborators: Cheyenne Eversole, Craig A. Harvey, Kealey Kennedy
digitisation, 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D printing, cataloguing, research, provenance, collections management
“Mapping Maltese Migration Project,” University of Western Ontario & Maltese-Canadian Museum | Oct 2022 – present | https://arcg.is/0b0SHi0
Collaborators: Richard Cumbo, Kealey Kennedy
research, mapping, digitisation, ArcGIS, StoryMaps, Microsoft Excel
“The 1937 Blackfriars Flood: Public Historic Walking Tour,” University of Western Ontario | Oct – Nov 2022 | https://arcg.is/0TSjjv0
Collaborators: Kathrine-Mackenzie Bodnar, Jessica Hugh, Hannah Mantel, Zahra McDoom, Sarah Pointer, Jesse Sturgill
research, mapping, digitisation, ArcGIS, StoryMaps
Digitisation of the Museum of Classical Antiquities Collection | University of Ottawa | Nov 2021 – May 2022
Collaborators: Georgian Parkes, Chloé Storm, Sophie Vigneux, Thomas C.B. Wort
digitisation, 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D printing, cataloguing, research, provenance, collections management