Heather McKillop

Heather McKillop is the Thomas & Lillian Landrum Alumni Professor of Geography & Anthropology at Louisiana State University (LSU). Her research focuses on underwater Maya archaeology, particularly ancient salt production in Belize, and employs advanced 3D imaging and visualization technologies. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California-Santa Barbara (1987).

Her work has been funded by NSF grants since 2005, including a collaborative grant with E. Cory Sills (University of Texas at Tyler). She directs the DIVA Lab (Digital Imaging and Visualization in Archaeology), established in 2010 with a LA Board of Regents grant. Key projects include excavations at submerged sites like Ek Way Nal and Ta’ab Nuk Na, which document Maya salt production, maritime trade, and responses to sea-level rise.

• Publications: Authored/co-authored 5 books and over 50 articles, including Maya Salt Works (2019) and Underwater Maya: Spatial Analysis of Briquetage and Wooden Buildings.
• Grants: NSF grants, Archaeological Institute of America Site Preservation Grant.
• Advising: Mentored 12 PhD students on topics like 3D technology, salt production, and GIS analysis.
• Conferences: Hosted the 4th International Congress on the Anthropology of Salt (2022).

Research interests emphasize human-environment interactions, coastal archaeology, and the application of 3D digital tools for preservation and public outreach. Her work bridges archaeology, environmental science, and technology.