Susan E. Alcock facts for kids

Susan Ellen Alcock is an American archaeologist. She studies ancient places using special methods like survey archaeology. This means she explores large areas to find clues about the past. She also looks at how people remembered their history in the Roman Empire.

Susan grew up in Massachusetts. She went to college at Yale University and the University of Cambridge. She has taught at several universities. These include the University of Michigan and Brown University. As of 2025, she is a professor at the University of Oklahoma-Norman. There, she teaches about ancient history and cultures.

Becoming an Archaeologist

Early Studies and Degrees

Susan Alcock started her journey in archaeology at Yale University. From 1979 to 1983, she studied Archaeology and History. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with very high honors.

After Yale, she went to the University of Cambridge in England. She studied "classics," which means learning about ancient Greece and Rome. She earned another Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. Later, in 1989, she received a Master of Arts degree from Cambridge.

Earning a PhD

Susan continued her studies at Cambridge. She worked on her PhD, which is a very advanced degree. In 1989, she finished her PhD. Her main research was about "Greek society and the transition to Roman rule." This looked at how Greek life changed when the Romans took over.

Susan Alcock's Career

Leading Archaeology Programs

Susan Alcock has held important roles at universities. From 2006 to 2015, she was the Director of the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World. This institute is at Brown University. Before that, she was a professor at the University of Michigan.

Exciting Field Projects

Susan has led many archaeological digs and projects. She was a co-director of the Pylos Regional Archaeological Project. This project explored an ancient area in southwestern Greece. She also co-directed the Vorotan Project in southern Armenia.

Currently, she directs the Brown University Petra Archaeological Project. This project studies the ancient city of Petra. Petra is famous for its buildings carved into rock cliffs.

Awards and Recognition

In 2000, Susan Alcock received a special award. It was called a MacArthur Fellowship. This award is given to talented people who show great originality and dedication in their work.

In 2018, she took on a leadership role at the University of Michigan-Flint. She became the interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. This meant she helped manage the university's academic programs.