Dr. Jarrod Burks

Dr. Burks has been an archaeological Principal investigator with OVAI since 1999. He is an expert in the use of geophysical instruments in archaeology, such as magnetometers and ground-penetrating radar, and he has conducted geophysical surveys all across the country and beyond—including on missions to search for missing U.S. servicemen. Recently, Dr. Burks directed the 2015 Lt. Ewart Sconiers Recovery Project, Lubin, Poland. Jarrod also shares his geophysics expertise with other archaeologists as an instructor in the National Park Service’s (Midwest Archeological Center) annual workshop on geophysics in archaeology, which moves to a new place in the U.S. each year.

In addition to being a very active and respected field archaeologist, Dr. Burks also serves in many other professional capacities. He is the president of the Heartland Earthworks Conservancy, an organization that works to preserve Ohio’s ancient American Indian mound and earthwork sites; he is the treasurer of the Midwest Archaeological Conference; and he is the past president and currently a trustee of the Ohio Archaeological Council. But more than anything, Jarrod thoroughly enjoys sharing his discoveries about Ohio’s past with the public. He gives dozens of talks annually to a wide variety of public audiences all around Ohio and in surrounding states.