Scott Simmons

Professor Scott E. Simmons is an anthropological archaeologist specializing in the study of the ancient Maya of Mesoamerica. He has worked throughout the southeastern United States, Colorado, and Wales, UK. His primary research area for the past several decades has been Mesoamerica where he has worked in El Salvador and mainly in Belize. His current area of study is northern Belize, where he and his colleagues are investigating Maya settlement history, relationships between different island settlements, and relationships between mainland communities and those on Ambergris Caye. He is interested in better understanding the ways in which the island Maya adapted to changing political, social, economic, and climactic conditions over many centuries. Dr. Simmons and his colleagues' research goals are aimed at identifying and understanding Maya settlement patterns and the history of occupation of Ambergris Caye, and how and why relationships between island communities and those on the mainland remained both stable and at times unstable over time. He has taken nearly 200 undergraduate students to Belize to conduct four-week archaeology field schools on both the mainland and on Ambergris Caye. Dr. Simmons joined the faculty of UNCW in fall 2001 at the same time as his archaeology colleague, Dr. Nora Reber, joined the department (see E. Reber Faculty Profile page). When he is not doing archaeology or thinking about archaeology he enjoys spending time on his Jon boat, cycling, playing with his dogs, and traveling to both new and special old places. Dr. Simmons is from Baltimore City, Maryland.

Education

B.A. Anthropology, State University of New York, Plattsburgh
M.A. Historical Archaeology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Ph.D. Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder

Specialization in Teaching

Archaeology

Research Interests

archaeology of the ancient Maya; coastal Maya interactions including trade; ancient economies and technologies; archaeometallurgy; ancient Mesoamerica; Spanish colonialism in Belize

Professional Service

Board of Directors, Society for American Archaeology 2006-2009
Board of Directors, Sister City Association, Wilmington, N.C. 2017-present
Board of Directors, Public Archaeology Corps, Wilmington, N.C. 2016-present

Community Engagement

Dr. Simmons has given numerous presentations to local public and private school students in the greater Wilmington area since he joined UNCW in 2001. He also conceived of and taught a public archaeology program in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize called the "Ambassadors to the Past" program, for which he received a generous three-year grant from the UNCW College of Arts & Sciences, 2012-2014.

Honors & Awards

Earl Morris Award for Excellence in Archaeology, University of Colorado Boulder 1996
Chancellor's Teaching Award, UNCW 2009
Global Citizen Award, UNCW 2015