The University of Georgia Libraries welcomes archaeologist and researcher Mary Socci as executive director of the Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe (CREW), an interdisciplinary research site on the Georgia coast.
In her position, Socci will facilitate research, education and public outreach at one of Georgia’s most ecologically and historically significant sites. CREW, a unit of the UGA Libraries, supports the work of students and faculty who investigate a host of questions in a broad range of disciplines, including ecology, archaeology, history, geology, landscape architecture, historic preservation, environmental planning, and others.
With expertise in the archaeology and history of the coastal Southeast, and experience in ecological research, Socci previously served as assistant director of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy and as cultural resource manager for Palmetto Bluff. Her career includes work in history, archaeology, and ecology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Princeton University, and a master’s degree and PhD in anthropology from Yale University.
“Dr. Socci brings highly relevant experience and educational background, along with dedication to researching and preserving the history and environment of the coastal Southeast,” said Toby Graham, UGA associate provost and university librarian. “We look forward to a bright future for CREW under her leadership and with the support of the Wormsloe Foundation.”
In addition to partnerships with academic units across UGA, Socci will work closely with Keeli Windham, president of the nonprofit Wormsloe Institute for Environmental History.
CREW benefits from the generous and longstanding support of the Wormsloe Foundation and from Craig and Diana Barrow, who donated 15 acres on the Isle of Hope to create the Center in 2012.
“Being part of the University of Georgia and the Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe is a tremendous honor. I’m already enjoying getting to know the Barrow family who have been stewards of Wormsloe for generations and the graduate students and faculty who are exploring Wormsloe’s natural and cultural environments,” Socci said. “I am excited about being able to build new institutional partnerships and to develop and widely promote the research that takes place here at CREW.”