On July 1, 2008, Dr. Judy A. Bense became interim president of the University of West Florida.
Dr. Judy Bense, has served the University of West Florida for 28 years, most recently as chair and professor of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology and executive director of the Division of Anthropology and Archaeology at UWF. She received her baccalaureate degree and master’s degree in anthropology from Florida State University in 1967 and 1969. She received her doctoral degree in anthropology from Washington State University in 1972.
Bense’s dedication to public archaeology has led to the discovery and preservation of numerous significant historical sites in Northwest Florida, including the Colonial Archaeology Trail in downtown Pensacola, the 300-year-old remains of the first permanent Spanish settlement known as the “First Pensacola” (1698-1719) aboard Pensacola Naval Air Station, the location of second Spanish settlement on Santa Rosa Island (1722-1752) 145, as well as the lost ships of the 1559 Luna expedition, sent to establish the first Spanish settlement in America in Pensacola in 1559.
She established the UWF Archaeology Institute in 1985 and served as its director for the next 20 years. In 2005 Bense helped spearhead legislation and funding for the Florida Public Archaeology Network. The network’s eight regional centers opened in 2006 with UWF as the host site.
She has worked with Florida legislative leadership since 2003 as chairwoman of the Florida Historical Commission, preserving programs, positions and funding and has steered $2.97 million from the Legislature, $732,000 from private contributions and $5.25 million in contracts and grants.
Bense is currently chair of the Florida Historical Commission. She has served on the State’s Culture and Heritage Tourism Council and is a past president of the Society of Historical Archaeology. She also chairs the Board of the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training in the National Park Service. She is the 2005 recipient of the Pace Professional Leadership Award presented by the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, received the 2002 Society for Historical Archaeology Award of Merit for Pubic Archaeology Contributions and is a recipient of the 1994 and 2001 UWF Distinguished Teaching Award.
Bense is also the author of five books including the 2006 book, “Unearthing Pensacola.” And, for the past 10 years has aired daily segments on archaeology in Northwest Florida on WUWF Public Media show of the same name.
