Jennifer C. Ross

Jennifer C. Ross is a Professor of Art and Archaeology and serves as Chair of the Department of Art and Archaeology at Hood College, contributing to both undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley
• M.A. in Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley
• A.B. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, Bryn Mawr College

Professor Ross specializes in the archaeology of the Middle East with emphasis on the rise of cities, state formation, and societal transformations in ancient complex cultures. Her research examines social dynamics and technological innovations across civilizations, co-authoring 'Ancient Complex Societies' (Routledge, 2017) which analyzes global case studies from China to the Americas. She directs long-term fieldwork at Çadır Höyük in Turkey as Associate Director of the international Çadır Höyük Archaeology Project, investigating a multi-period Anatolian site spanning from the Chalcolithic (6th millennium BCE) through the Byzantine Era (ending circa 1100 CE).

Her Çadır Höyük research involves interdisciplinary collaboration with archaeologists and specialists analyzing continuous occupation across six millennia, focusing on urbanization trajectories and cultural continuity.

While specific advisees and grant details are unlisted in source materials, her departmental leadership and sustained international excavation project indicate active student mentorship and externally funded research initiatives.