Dr. Scott MacEachern is the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and a Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Duke Kunshan University. He received his B.A. (Honors) in Anthropology from the University of Prince Edward Island, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of Calgary (1991). Before 2018, he was Professor of Anthropology at Bowdoin College, where he also served as Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Dr. MacEachern joined Duke Kunshan University as one of the founding faculty in its undergraduate degree program in August 2018 and was appointed as the inaugural Divisional Chair of Social Sciences later that year. He worked closely with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies on matters concerning the management and development of the undergraduate program, and with the Dean of Undergraduate Curricular Affairs and Faculty Development on curriculum design and faculty recruitment. Currently as the Chief Academic Officer at Duke Kunshan University, Dr. MacEachern works closely with the Chancellors to provide strategic academic leadership and to ensure the highest quality of educational programs and research activities. He has primary responsibility for recruitment of world-class faculty, faculty development and retention, as well as faculty appointment, promotion and tenure. He is also responsible for all academic and research-related university policies and procedures, and he oversees all academic and related units that support the teaching and research mission.
Dr. MacEachern’s archaeological research focuses on the southern Lake Chad Basin of Central Africa. His main research interests are in the origins of ancient Africa states, international cultural heritage management, and African and global archaeogenetics. His most recent book is “Searching for Boko Haram: A History of Violence in Central Africa.” He has served as President of the Society of African Archaeologists and was elected chair of both the Faculty Governance Committee and the Promotions and Tenure Committee at Bowdoin. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include Cultures and Movements, Anthropology and Archaeology.
