Adam T. Smith is Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences in Anthropology at Cornell University, where he holds appointments in the Department of Anthropology, the Archaeology Program, and the Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity. He is a leading scholar in Eurasian archaeology, specializing in the South Caucasus, with a focus on the emergence of complex societies and the materiality of political authority. Smith is a co-founder of Project ArAGATS and leads Caucasus Heritage Watch, a pioneering initiative using satellite technology to monitor cultural heritage at risk. His educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, and a B.A. in Anthropology & Political Science from Brown University. Smith's research interests span archaeology, material culture, political and legal anthropology, heritage and museums, and the archaeology of sovereignty. His work combines theoretical inquiry with empirical fieldwork, exploring how objects, landscapes, and built environments shape political life from the Bronze Age to the present. He is particularly known for his work on the Urartian state, Bronze Age metaphysics, and the long-term political dynamics of the Armenian Highland. His recent publications reveal a strong trend in using archaeology to address contemporary issues of heritage destruction, collective memory, and cultural erasure, especially in conflict zones like Nagorno-Karabakh. The articles show a deep engagement with remote sensing, geophysical survey, and interdisciplinary methods to reconstruct past societies and protect endangered heritage. Fellow, Milstein Program in Technology and Humanity, Cornell University (2023–2025) Finalist, Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year, Social Sciences and Humanities (2023) Certificate of Communal Partnership, St. James AME Zion Church, Ithaca NY (2023) John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow (2010–2011) Fellow, Cornell University Society for the Humanities (2010–2011) Fellow, Howard Foundation (2006–2007) Fellow, Franke Institute for the Humanities, University of Chicago (2003–2004) National Endowment for the Humanities/American Councils for International Education Collaborative Research Fellow (2003) Fellow, Michigan Society of Fellows, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1997–1999) Smith advises graduate students, leads the Landscapes and Objects Laboratory, and directs major research initiatives including Project ArAGATS and the St. James AME Zion Community Excavations. His work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation, National Geographic Society, and other leading institutions. He is actively engaged in public archaeology, policy advocacy, and community-based research, bridging academic scholarship with real-world impact.
