Events

Ancient Maya Reservoirs: How Past Water Crises Offer Lessons for Future Water Needs

Join us for an evening with Dr. Lisa Lucero from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaigne and Dr. Charles Stanish of USF as they discuss the ancient Maya reservoirs and how past water crises impacted the lands along with the lessons learned that can be implemented in the future.  The event will feature an opening reception with light refreshments following an informative discussion by Dr. Lucero with ample time for audience questions.

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ABOUT THE event

The Classic Maya (c. 250 to 900 CE) in the tropical southern lowlands of Central America dealt with water scarcity during annual dry seasons and periods of climate instability via sophisticated self-cleaning urban reservoir systems they relied on for over a thousand years. They maintained water quality using diverse aquatic plants and biota. University of Illinois Anthropology professor Lisa Lucero will discuss how water-related crises they faced hold lessons for today.

Speaker

Lisa Lucero, PhD

Lisa J. Lucero is a professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow. As an archaeologist, her interests focus on ritual and power, water management, the impact of climate change on society, sustainability in tropical regions, and the ancestral Maya. She received her PhD from UCLA in 1994 and has been conducting archaeology in Belize for 35 years, authoring seven books and an array of articles and book chapters. She uses insights from past and present Maya knowledge and practices to promote sustainable strategies to address global climate change, detailed in a forthcoming book “Maya Wisdom and the Survival of Our Planet”. 

MODERATOR

Charles Stanish, PhD

Charles Stanish has worked extensively in Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala and Chile, conducting archaeological research on the prehistoric societies of the region. His work focuses ancient agriculture, trade, war, and labor organization. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. 

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PARKING 

Parking for USF faculty and students is available in Lots 21 or 37. Public parking is available in Lot 6 with Daily Parking available via the parking pay station or by using the mobile parking app. For more information about parking options, please visit the Parking Services website.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT?

For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, please contact CAS RSVP.