Dr. Kira Kaufmann

I have 20 years of diving experience, 15 years experience teaching scuba diving, and 10 years experience in other aspects of the diving business. My experience includes diving in freshwater caverns, caves, wrecks, and under the ice, in local lakes, rivers, and quarries, as well as diving in the ocean by coral reefs and wrecks. I have over forty scuba diving certifications from many different agencies and I am certified to teach more than 20 different specialties. Some of the scuba diving specialties that I am qualified and authorized to teach include Cavern, Deep, Underwater Navigation, Wreck, Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries, and Introduction to Underwater Archaeology. Over the years I have completed over 400 student certifications and close to 300 student diving certifications. I am committed to student training, education, and safety. I have been teaching scuba for the Underwater Connection for five years. My passion for scuba diving began with research diving because I was interested in Underwater Archaeology. I received my M.A. in Anthropology from Florida State with an emphasis in Underwater Archaeology. My Masters thesis focused on Prehistoric Archaeology in a karst sinkhole system in north Florida. I now have my doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an emphasis in Archaeology and continue Underwater Archaeological investigations as well as land-based research here in Wisconsin. I also teach Anthropological and Archaeological college courses at Mt. Mary College, Carroll College, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

# Years Diving: 20+ (originally certified in 1987)
Highest Certification Level: IDC Staff Instructor
Instructor Since: 1992

Instructor Specialties:
_____ Altitude
__X__ Boat
__X__ Deep
__X__ Drysuit
__X__ Enriched Air Nitrox
__X__ Ice
_____ Drift
__X__ Wreck
__X__ Night
__X__ U/W Navigation
__X__ U/W Photographer
__X__ U/W Digital Photographer
_____ U/W Videographer
__X__ U/W Naturalist
__X__ Search & Recovery
__X__ Cavern
_____ DPV
_____ Multi-level
__X__ Emergency First Response
__X__ Underwater Digital Photography
__X__ Equipment Specialist
__X__ Others: EFR for Children and Infants, Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Project AWARE, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Assistant Instructor
__X__ DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Injuries
__X__ Introduction to Underwater Archaeology

Other student level certifications that I have but do not teach:
__X__ Full cave
__X__ DAN First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
__X__ DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers
__X__ DAN Automated External Defibrillators for Scuba Diving
__X__ DAN Diving Emergency Specialist

Equipment repair certifications that I have:
__X__ PSI/PCI Visual Cylinder Inspector
__X__ Aqualung Equipment Repair

Favorite types of diving: Cavern, Cave, Wreck
Favorite diving location: places I have never been
Full-time Employer: Archaeologist
E-mail address: kira@uwconnection.com