Evan Peacock named interim leader of MSU鈥檚 Cobb Institute
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 Mississippi State alumnus and veteran environmental archaeologist now is serving as interim director of the university鈥檚 Cobb Institute of Archaeology.听
Evan Peacock joined 熟女少妇in 1999 as an anthropology faculty member. Born in Clarksdale and reared in Choctaw County, Peacock also worked as an archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service.
In addition to a summa cum laude degree in anthropology from MSU, he holds master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees from the University of Sheffield, England.
The Cobb Institute is part of MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences. In making the announcement, Dean Rick Travis said Peacock is an experienced specialist with nearly two decades as a senior research associate at Cobb.
Noting his 鈥渄eep familiarity with the mission of the Cobb Institute,鈥 Travis added, 鈥淭he only thing that surpasses Dr. Peacock鈥檚 experience is the passion he will bring to the position.鈥
Travis additionally praised Peacock鈥檚 academic and research achievements in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures. 鈥淲ith more than a dozen publications in the last three years alone, Dr. Peacock is recognized as a leader in archeological studies in the United States,鈥 Travis said.
Peacock is the author of numerous published articles resulting from research contracts with the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, most recently, National Science Foundation.
In response to Travis鈥 announcement, Peacock emphasized that he is 鈥渄eeply invested in seeing that the Cobb Institute dovetails its research and outreach mission鈥 with that of the academic department. 鈥淲e are training the next generation of students to tackle the many complex challenges and meet the extraordinary promise of being good stewards of humankind鈥檚 common heritage,鈥 Peacock said.
Established in 1971, the institute is the namesake of benefactors Cully A. and Lois Cobb, and home to the Lois Dowdle Cobb Museum of Archaeology. An alumnus of Mississippi A&M College鈥擬SU鈥檚 original name鈥擟ully Cobb (1884-1975) was an agricultural pioneer and educator.
According to Peacock, the Cobb Institute is among only a few endowed archaeological research institutes in the U.S., 鈥渁 situation that presents excellent opportunities for MSU."
鈥淎s interim director,鈥 he continued, 鈥淚 want to help raise the national and international profile of the Cobb Institute by supporting high-quality research in the Southeastern United States and Eastern Mediterranean basin.鈥
Giselle Thibaudeau, associate dean for research, said the institute is a 鈥渧alue-added research and service unit鈥 of the college and she looks forward to 鈥渃ontinued successes in Dr. Peacock鈥檚 research program and the Cobb Institute under his leadership.鈥
For additional biographical information on Peacock, visit ; on the institute, .
MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,000 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 25 academic majors offered in 14 departments.听Complete details about the College of Arts and Sciences may be found at .
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