Portales, NM –March 10, 2025 – The Eastern New Mexico University Department of Anthropology and Applied Archaeology hosts its 26th annual Cynthia Irwin-Williams Lectureship at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, in room 110 of the Art and Anthropology Building.

The featured guest speakers will be Dr. Stephen Nash, President and CEO of Archaeology Southwest, and Paul Reed, New Mexico State Director and Preservation Archaeologist at Archaeology Southwest.

"A legendary academic scholar and researcher, Dr. Irwin-Williams' incredible career stands as a model for our students," said John Montgomery, assistant vice president for research and graduate school dean. "Our lectureship is a tribute to her work and professionalism, including her time as an ENMU faculty member. Dr. Irwin-Williams' career is an outstanding example of how ENMU students can succeed after earning their degrees."

The Cynthia Irwin-Williams Lectureship was created to honor the many professional achievements of Cynthia Irwin-Williams. Irwin-Williams taught at Eastern New Mexico University in the Department of Anthropology and Applied Archaeology from 1964 to 1982. In 1978, Irwin-Williams was awarded the Llano Estacado Center for Advanced Professional Studies and Research Distinguished Research Professorship. Irwin-Williams also served as president of the Society for American Archaeology from 1977 to 1979, only the second woman to hold this position.

ENMU continues her legacy through the Cynthia Irwin-Williams Lectureship, which helps pave the way for later generations of women in the sciences by bringing in a guest speaker to share their recent research on various topics in Anthropology. This free event is open to the public; for more information, visit www.enmu.edu/CIWLectureship.