 "Photo: Marcus Parramore")
University of West Florida President Judy Bense was awarded the J.C. Harrington medal by the Society for Historical Archaeology on Jan. 8.
The medal, the society’s highest honor, was awarded to Bense because of her lifetime contributions to the educational spectrum of the archaeology discipline, Elizabeth Benchley, director of the UWF Archeology Institute, said.
“From nothing, she created one of the best archaeology programs in the country,” William Lees, director of the Florida Archaeology Network, said in a phone interview. “She created a great academic program and research program. She also produced a team that works well together—better than anything I have ever seen.”
SHA’s main research focus is the era of the beginning of European exploration. Also, the organization emphasizes the importance of scholarly research and the distribution of archaeology knowledge to students, teachers and interested parties, according to the organization’s Web site.
Bense has written several scholarly books that focus on archaeology: “Archaeology of Colonial Pensacola,” “Presidia Santa Maria de Golve,” “Archaeology of the Southeastern United States” and “Unearthing Pensacola”.
“‘Unearthing Pensacola’ is considered a ‘coffee table book,’” Benchley said. “The proceeds from this book go toward scholarships for students who want to study archaeology.”
In 2004, Bense started the Florida Public Archaeology Network. Its Web site says that the network is based in Pensacola and consists of eight regions across the state: Northwest Region, North Central Region, Northeast Region, Central Region, West Central Region, East Central Region, Southwest Region and Southeast Region.
Creating the FPA was one of Bense’s long-standing goals. Bense took lessons from working with the government, and from her successes in Pensacola. Then, she campaigned successfully for legislation to make the FPA a statewide project in 2004, Lees said.
The FPA Web site said that its mission is, in part, “...to promote and facilitate the conservation, study and public understanding of Florida’s archaeological heritage through regional centers.” “Her public leadership has increased the visibility of archaeology in Pensacola and around the state of Florida,” Benchley said.
Benchley stated that Bense spearheaded the UWF Department of Archaeology and UWF Department of Anthropology. She began teaching at UWF in 1977 and became Archaeology department head in 2001.
“She also set up an academic program at UWF that aimed toward land and underwater archaeology—with emphasis on early Americans, and Pensacola Spanish colonial archaeology. “UWF students get practical experience of archaeology by searching for artifacts, collecting artifacts, and identifying artifacts. Archaeology students also have the opportunity to explore shipwrecks,” Benchley said.
Be the first to comment on this article!