UWF Anthropology and Archaeology

09/11/2026

🔎 What if some of the most fascinating stories of the American Revolution happened right here on the Gulf Coast?

Join us for a special evening exploring Pensacola and West Florida’s role in the American Revolutionary War with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Dr. Jack E. Davis, author of "The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea," alongside regional experts in archaeology, history, and historic preservation.

The program will include a keynote by Dr. Davis, a panel discussion and audience Q&A, followed by a book signing, partner displays, and an after-hours opportunity to explore the Pensacola Museum of History’s new "Road to Revolution" exhibit.

🎤 The Gulf at War: History and Archaeology of Revolutionary West Florida
📆 Wednesday, September 23, 2026 @ 5:30pm CT
📍 Voices of Pensacola, 117 E Government St, Pensacola, FL 32502
🎟️ Seating is limited; RSVP today to save your spot: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/hahrp7u/lp/4a5e2239-ae40-4e2d-8e00-950cb426b01e

This event is an installment of the Gulf Coast Culture Series, sponsored by the UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, the UWF Archaeology Institute, and the John C. Pace Symposium Series. For more information, visit https://uwf.edu/cassh/community-outreach/gulf-coast-culture-series/

University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities | Historic Pensacola | Florida Public Archaeology Network - Northwest Region | Visit Pensacola

08/27/2026

✈️ Thank you to WUWF for recently featuring Will Wilson, Faculty Research Associate with the UWF Archaeology Institute, and his upcoming role in the Taraia Object Expedition!

This fall, Will will join an international team traveling to Nikumaroro to investigate a submerged anomaly that could potentially be connected to Amelia Earhart’s lost aircraft. He’ll bring his expertise in archaeological data and remote sensing to the project alongside our partners at RECON Offshore.

Check out the WUWF story below to learn more about the expedition and the Pensacola archaeologists taking part!

https://www.wuwf.org/local-news/2026-08-24/two-pensacola-archaeologists-are-part-of-a-new-expedition-to-find-amelia-earharts-lost-plane

WUWF | RECON Offshore | The Archaeology Channel | University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities | Purdue University |

Two maritime archaeologists from Pensacola are set to take part in the Taraia Object Expedition this fall in search of Amelia Earhart's lost plane. Project leader Dr. Richard Pettigrew, with the Archaeological Legacy Institute, visited recently to meet with them and to collaborate with Navy and Coas...

08/24/2026

We had a great time welcoming students back to campus at Argopalooza on Friday! 💙💚

The UWF Archaeology Institute team enjoyed meeting new and returning Argos, sharing more about archaeology at UWF, and highlighting opportunities to get involved in research, events, and other activities throughout the year.

Here’s to a great start to the new academic year!

University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

08/21/2026

Student Spotlight: Aniya Pinnix 🔬

From UWF to Spain, graduate student Aniya Pinnix is putting her passion for bioarchaeology into practice!

Aniya is a student in UWF’s Anthropology M.A. program, where her thesis research explores the relationship between interment style and observations of disease markers. This summer, her research took her to Palencia, Spain, where she collected data from the ossuary of San Isidro in the historic Cathedral of San Antolín.

In her own words:

“Stepping into the field to start my research has been the highlight of my educational journey. This adventure has allowed me to gain irreplaceable hands-on experience in the nuanced responsibilities of a researcher and an archaeologist. Fieldwork is where my heart is!”

We love seeing our graduate students take their research beyond the classroom and gain experiences that help shape them as scholars. Congratulations, Aniya, on an incredible summer of research!

University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities |

08/13/2026

🔎 Thank you to WEAR ABC 3 News, Pensacola for speaking with the UWF Archaeology Institute's William Wilson and RECON Offshore's Michael Krivor about their roles in the upcoming "Taraia Object Expedition!" This expedition hopes to locate Amelia Earhart's missing Lockheed Model 10E Electra aircraft, flown during her ill-fated attempt to become the first person to fly around the world along the equator.

https://weartv.com/news/local/uwf-archaeologist-previews-oct-2026-earhart-plane-search-with-recon-offshore

📚 Want to learn more? Join us TOMORROW, Friday, August 14, at 6:30pm at Odd Colony Brewing Co. to hear from one of the expedition leaders: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Q9kXRjPuS/

University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities | Florida Public Archaeology Network - Northwest Region

She was the first woman to cross the Atlantic ocean by air, to pilot an autogyro, to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress.Amelia Earhart was an

08/06/2026

🥇Congratulations to Jack Jacobson on earning a first-place award for "Outstanding Summer Research Presentation" at UWF's 12th Annual Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium!

Jack's award-winning poster, "Rehousing Legacy Collections at UWF: The Practice of Preserving Pensacola's History," highlights the important behind-the-scenes work of preserving archaeological collections for future research and public interpretation. Legacy collections provide invaluable information about our communities, and the Archaeology Institute's efforts to properly rehouse and care for them help protect Northwest Florida history for generations to come.

We're incredibly proud of Jack's dedication and hard work with our Archaeology Collections team this summer, and we're grateful to the UWF Office of Undergraduate Research for providing students with opportunities to pursue faculty-mentored research and share their discoveries with the broader university community.

Please join us in congratulating Jack!

University of West Florida | UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities | UWF Office of Undergraduate Research |

07/27/2026

Unearthing history, one trowel (or shovel) at a time... 🪏

What began as a routine archaeological investigation ahead of campus infrastructure improvements has become an incredible opportunity for discovery and student learning at the University of West Florida!

Over the past several weeks, UWF archaeology faculty, staff, and students have been carefully excavating a precontact Native American archaeological site on our Pensacola campus. Every artifact identified in context helps us better understand communities that have lived in Northwest Florida for thousands of years. This project has also given students invaluable hands-on experience in excavation, documentation, and archaeological research.

We're incredibly proud of our team, especially our students, for their dedication to preserving Florida's past and sharing their knowledge with others!

Thank you also to FOX10 News for highlighting this exciting project and the work of the UWF Archaeology Institute: https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/07/24/uwf-archaeology-students-uncover-native-american-artifacts-campus/

UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities | Visit Pensacola | Florida Division of Historical Resources |

The excavation team is made up of graduate students applying classroom knowledge in the field.