Jennifer P. Mathews, Ph.D.
- Professor , Sociology and Anthropology
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Jennifer Mathews is a professor of anthropology in the sociology and anthropology department at Trinity University, where she teaches courses in archaeology and biological anthropology. She received her master's and Ph.D. in anthropology, with a specialization in Maya archaeology, from the University of California at Riverside. Her undergraduate degree was in anthropology from San Diego State University (1991). She has been conducting fieldwork and archival research in Mexico since 1993.
- Ph.D. in anthropology, University of California, Riverside
- M.A. in anthropology, University of California, Riverside
- B.A. in anthropology, San Diego State University
- Quintana Roo Archaeology (co-edited with Justine Shaw): Quintana Roo Archaeology| UAPress (arizona.edu)
- Lifeways in the Northern Maya Lowlands: New Approaches to Archaeology in the Yucatan Peninsula (co-edited with Bethany A. Morrison): Lifeways in the Northern Maya Lowlands| UAPress (arizona.edu)
- Chicle - Chewing Gum of the Americas: From the Ancient Maya to William Wrigley (with Gillian P. Schultz): Chicle - Chewing Gum of the Americas| UAPress (arizona.edu)
- The Value of Things: Prehistoric to Contemporary Commodities in the Maya Region (co-edited with Tom Guderjan) The Value of Things| UAPress (arizona.edu)
- Sugarcane and Rum: The Bittersweet History of Labor and Life on the Yucatán Peninsula (co-authored with John Gust) The Bittersweet History of Labor and Life on the Yucatán Peninsula| UAPress (arizona.edu)
- Construction of Maya Space: Causeways, Walls, and Open Areas from Ancient to Modern Times (co-edited with Tom Guderjan). Construction of Maya Space | UAPress (arizona.edu)
She studies ancient and historical Maya archaeology, the history of food, such as chewing gum (chicle), sugarcane, rum, and avocados, as well as issues of sustainability and tourism. She also heads a project known as The Archaeology of Trinity University, where she works with students to study the 19th-century dumpsite on which Trinity University was built, to better understand the history of San Antonio at that time.
- Archaeology
- Biological Anthropology
- Museum Studies
She was named the 2019-20 recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding abilities as a teacher and mentor and was selected as a Piper Professor (a state-wide teaching award for superior teaching at the college level) for 2020. Most recently, she was appointed to the Murchison Term Professorship for 2023-2026.
Professor Mathews works regularly with local museums such as the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA), giving pubic talks and participating in events like "Archaeology Day, and her students provide copies of their semester-long research papers on pieces in their collection including contributing text to their e-Museum descriptions. She has also curated two public exhibits "The Modern Maya: The Photographs of Macduff Everton" and "Crafting Maya Identity," and every semester she and her students put together an exhibit for the Archaeology of Trinity University project, located in the lower lobby of the Storch Memorial building.
Archaeology of Trinity Course Showcases Campus Artifacts and Research
Thursday, December 05, 2024Students and faculty share treasures collected along Trinity’s jogging trail
Miniature Marvels
Wednesday, April 10, 2024Camille Johnson ’21 builds on her research experience from Trinity to share new stories at the...
Pathways Ignited
Tuesday, January 24, 2023Trinity faculty, students, and alumnus to discuss imagination in the academy
Department Chairs Collaborate on Development Projects
Friday, January 28, 2022Chairs seek to improve curriculum and teaching methods