Jeanne M. Moe

CHAIR

Why I’m Involved:
In 1990, a team of archaeologists and educators distributed the first version of the educational materials that would eventually become the national Project Archaeology program.  The first draft included a series of lessons on rock art; what it might mean, why it is important to protect it, and the fact that it is often damaged by modern graffiti, chalk tracing, bullet holes, and attempts to remove it from the stone walls.  

About a year later we received some brief assessments from elementary students who had experienced some of these lessons.  One of the questions we asked students was, “What will you remember about archaeology a year from now”?  Many of the students answered, “Vandalism of rock art hurts the living descendants of the people who made it.”  When I saw those answers, I thought, “We have something here.” The kids made the connection between the past and present and between thoughtless vandalism and the feelings of living descendants. They achieved cultural understanding at a deep conceptual level.  I knew then that cultural heritage education would be my life’s work and I have never looked back.

Bio: Jeanne has worked in heritage education for more than 30 years, mostly while employed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  She holds graduate degrees in both archaeology and education.  Jeanne helped launch the national Project Archaeology program in Utah in the early 1990s and coordinated efforts to bring the program to other states.  She served as the national director of the program from 2001 until her retirement from BLM in 2018.  While director, she led the development of all Project Archaeology materials and their distribution since 2001.  Still active in heritage education, Jeanne is a founding member of the Institute for Heritage Education and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors.  She is the editor for the Journal of Archaeology and Education, an online publication highlighting archaeology education programs and research.