George J. Bey III

Dr. George J. Bey III is a Professor of Anthropology at Millsaps College, holding the Chisholm Chair in Arts and Sciences. He is a National Geographic Explorer and member of the Explorers Club. His work focuses on Maya civilization, forensics, and popular culture, with field research conducted at the Kiuic archaeological site in Yucatan. He has appeared in National Geographic documentaries and teaches courses on ancient civilizations and Disney's cultural impact.

• Education: B.A. in Anthropology and English, University of New Mexico (1978); Ph.D. in Anthropology, Tulane University (1986).

Research interests include Maya pottery, the rise/fall of Maya civilization, forensic anthropology, and Mesoamerican sociocultural complexity. His publications bridge archaeology and modern cultural analysis, such as studies on early ceramics and Preclassic exchange networks in the Maya Lowlands.

• Awards: Explorers Club 50 (1922), AIA Site Preservation Award (2013), CASE Prof. of the Year (2007).

Dr. Bey mentors students in fieldwork at Kiuic and the Millsaps Biocultural Reserve. Beyond academia, he explores connections between archaeology and pop culture, including analyses of Disney’s cultural narratives.