Bio & Expertise
Dr. Judith Bense is President Emeritus and Professor of Anthropology/Archaeology at UWF.
Bense joined UWF in 1980 and built an Anthropology/Archaeology program at UWF from scratch. This program today is one of the leading programs in Florida and the country known for its active research in Florida archaeology and outreach to the public.
Bense stepped down from the presidency in 2017 and returned to archaeology to complete a synthesis of her research and she retired in 2021. Judy continues to be active in archaeology especially in early Spanish colonial occupation of Florida and the Southeast. Her recent award winning book (2022) Presidios of Spanish West Florida pulls together over 30 years of research. In addition she has recently published two academic papers in leading journals on Spanish ceramic types and figurines and an third manuscript on forts has been submitted. Bense also is Chair of the Florida Historical Commission.
Bense has held almost every leadership position in UWF archaeology over the decades and led the program in the direction of historical archaeology and shipwreck research. In 2004, she worked to pass legislation and obtain funding for the Florida Public Archeology Network (FPAN), which is housed at UWF and operates eight regional public archeology centers throughout Florida.
In 2008, she was appointed interim President of UWF, selected president in 2010 and served as its president through 2016. During her presidency, enrollment grew by 30%, six new buildings were constructed, visibility dramatically increased, athletic teams won four national championships, and the football program was started. As University of West Florida’s first female president, she continues to inspire women to achieve both professionally and academically.
Bense was inducted in the 2019 Florida Women's Hall of Fame and is the first woman from Northwest Florida to receive this honor. She has received several prestigious awards from professional organizations, the state of Florida, and Spain. These include the Evelyn Fortune Bartlett Award, a lifetime achievement award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, the JC Harrington Medal, a lifetime achievement award from the Society for Historical Archaeology, the Senator Bob Williams Award for Outstanding achievements in Public Archaeology from the Florida Department of State, and inducted into the Order of Isabella de Catholica by the King of Spain for advancing Spain's contribution to the Americas.