He earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in anthropology from The University of Texas at Austin. Houk has over 20 years of experience investigating the ancient Maya ruins and landscapes of northwestern Belize, and has conducted research at Dos Hombres, La Milpa, Say Ka, and Chan Chich. He is currently the director of the Chan Chich Archaeological Project and its regional component, the Belize Estates Archaeological Survey Team. His is the author of Ancient Maya Cities of the Eastern Lowlands and co-editor of Ritual, Violence, and Fall of the Classic Maya Kings, published by University Press of Florida, and his research focus on ancient urban planning and the Classic Maya collapse.