James Judge was born in Dillon, Montana. He grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After graduating from school in Jackson Hole, Jim went on to further his education at the Phillips Exeter Academy, in New Hampshire. Jim served in the Marine Corps as a pilot for over four years. Jim’s exposure to culture while in the Marine Corps contributed to his interest in anthropology. James Judge, also known as Jim Judge, is currently a Professor of Anthropology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Jim is known mainly for directing the Chaco project at the National Park Service and University of New Mexico.
Jim Judge has spent much of his early teaching time abroad. His first teaching position was in Ecuador, where he spent two years teaching adult education. He was able to attain this position only after completing hisBachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Jim then completed his Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of New Mexico in 1970. With this new teaching degree, Jim soon joined the faculty of Colorado State University where he taught anthropology and archeology for the next two years.
After completing his first two years of teaching, Jim decided to move to the University of New Mexico. While in New Mexico, Jim decided to accept a position as an archaeologist in the Chaco Project, where he later became the Director of the project from 1977 to 1985. Jim is most well known for his work in the Chaco Canyon project. The content of two of his books published at the time is the Chaco project. These books include, Archaeological Surveys of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico written in 1981, and Recent Research on Chaco Prehistory written in 1984.
After the Chaco project Jim accepted a position as the Director of the Forty Burgwin Research Center in 1985. This center is an external research and educational campus of the Southern Methodist University located by Taos, New Mexico. Here he worked as a Research Director for five years. Then in 1990 Jim accepted a new position as a faculty member of the Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Jim currently resides in Durango as a teacher at the college. He enjoys teaching courses including Southwest Archaeology, public archaeology, field and laboratory methods, and human evolution. He also enjoys directing a long-term research project in the Montezuma Valley of southwestern Colorado.
Jim has been a member of many professional organizations and has served on many boards as a representative of the anthropology field. Jim currently serves on Board of Directors of the Archaeological Conservancy; he is on the Advisory Board of the Center for Southwest Studies, FLC; he is on the Executive Board of the University Consortium for Preservation Science and Technology; the Four Corners Heritage Council where he is a delegate appointed by the governor; the National Center for Preservation Technology where he is on the advisory board, appointed by the Secretary of Interior.
Judge, W. James. Curriculum Vitae. 1999-2000. Sent by James W. Judge on November 16, 2000.
Judge, W. James. Personal Resume. 2000. Sent by James W. Judge on November 16, 2000.
Written by: Joel Atchison