Recognition
Our work as a firm and as individual researchers has garnered recognition from a variety of local, state, national, and international entities. Selected awards and honors are listed below.
Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards: Tucson Heritage Video Series (2026). Pima County and Desert Archaeology, Inc. collaborated with Tucson-based documentary filmmaker and University of Arizona instructor Lisa Molomot to make six short student-produced documentaries about Tucson history and archaeology. Each short film focuses on a different element of Tucson’s heritage and serves as an educational resource.
Alexander J. Lindsay Jr. Unsung Hero Award, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society: Emilee Mead (2023). Desert Publications Director since 2001, Emilee was recognized for decades of service editing Glyphs (the AAHS newsletter) and Revista (the Southwestern Mission Research Center newsletter), along with Gila River Indian Community publications and the occasional dissertation or master's thesis. Past contributions to the field include work on the original and current iterations of Archaeology Southwest magazine, Museum of Northern Arizona publications, and original research published in paleontology journals.
Victor Stoner Award, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society: Sarah Herr (2022). Sarah was recognized for decades of service to the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, and particularly for her leadership of its Publications Committee. Sarah is also a former board member and President of the Arizona Archaeological Council, a former board member of both the American Culture Resource Association and the Society for American Archaeology, and numerous committees and task forces therein.
Governor’s Archaeological Advisory Awards in Public Archaeology, For-Profit Corporation (2020). Desert’s social media platforms were honored for contributions in public outreach, focusing on the Field Journal. The Field Journal regularly posts content distilled from Desert’s archival and ongoing work, written to engage the general public. It has recently become a valuable online teaching resource for secondary and post-secondary educators.
Pima County Featured Video: Archaeological Remediation for the January 8 Memorial (2020):
Feature article, Forbes Magazine (2018). Desert Archaeology’s work at Sky Harbor Airport for the City of Phoenix, and project director Kathy Henderson’s subsequent collaborative research, was featured in an article about Hohokam responses to flood-damaged infrastructure and its impacts on social structures.
Victor Stoner Award, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society: Homer Thiel (2017). Homer was recognized for his decades of work in public outreach and education, particularly in the sphere of historical archaeology in Tucson.
Society for American Archaeology Presidential Recognition Award: Task Force on Regional Planning, with William Doelle (2017). Bill chaired a task force that articulated productive strategies for incorporating archaeological sites and regions into landscape-scale development planning. Their insights and recommendations were crystallized in a May 2016 report in Advances in Archaeological Practice, some of which are already incorporated into federal planning documents.
Society for American Archaeology Presidential Recognition Award: Task Force on Gender Disparities in Archaeological Grant Submissions, with Sarah Herr (2017). Sarah was part of a task force that systematically investigated why women’s National Science Foundation (NSF) grant applications were strikingly lower than those of men’s over several years. Their NSF-funded, task force–based statistical and survey research produced a report with thought-provoking and very useful findings and recommendations.
Society of Historical Archaeology: Gender and Minority Affairs Committee Diversity Field School Award: University of Arizona Guevavi Field School, co-directed by Homer Thiel (2017). Homer teamed with U of A and National Park Service personnel to run a multi-season field school for undergraduates, working on the Spanish Mission Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi.
Shanghai Archaeology Forum Research Award: The Earliest Farmers In The Southwest: William H. Doelle, James M. Vint, Sarah A. Herr (2015). Decades of research conducted by Desert Archaeology was the basis for this award.
University of Arizona School of Anthropology Raymond H. Thompson Award: William H. Doelle (2015). Bill was recognized for his unique contributions to anthropology at the University of Arizona.
Governor’s Archaeology Advisory Commission in Public Archaeology: City of Phoenix Aviation Department Community Noise Reduction Program (2014). This award recognized Desert Archaeology’s Seeds of Growth public-oriented report for the City of Phoenix Community Noise Reduction Program, following field work directed by Kathy Henderson.
Arizona Museum of Natural History Leaders of the Field in Hohokam Research Today: William H. Doelle, T. Kathleen Henderson, David A. Gregory (2013). Two of our principal investigators, along with late project director Dave Gregory, were recognized as being among the top researchers in Hohokam archaeology.
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Appreciation Award: Homer Thiel (2013). Homer was recognized for his untiring efforts and contributions to archaeology and history in Arizona.
Society for American Archaeology Award For Excellence in Cultural Resource Management: Henry D. Wallace (2013). Henry was recognized for his contributions to rock art chronology in southern Arizona, Hohokam ceramic chronology, and the understanding of Hohokam village formation and structure.
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Appreciation Award: Emilee Mead (2011). Emilee is Desert Archaeology’s publications manager and head editor. She was recognized for her work editing and designing Glyphs, AAHS’ monthly newsletter.
Society for American Archaeology Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management: William H. Doelle (2010). Bill was recognized for his extraordinary achievements in applied archaeology.
Archaeology Magazine Top Ten Discoveries of 2009 (2010). Desert Archaeology’s work on early agriculturalists at the site of Las Capas in Tucson was named one of the top 10 archaeological discoveries worldwide.
Arizona Archaeological Council Award of Appreciation: James M. Heidke (2009) . Jim was recognized for developing ceramic sourcing methods that have enriched our understanding of prehistoric ceramic production, distribution, and specialization.
Society for Historical Archaeology Award of Merit: The City of Tucson, Arizona for the Rio Nuevo Project: William H. Doelle (2008). Desert Archaeology was recognized for the extensive public outreach programs and outstanding historical archaeological work at the Presidio del San Agustín and the San Agustín Mission.
Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission Historic Preservation Certificate: Homer Thiel (2008). Homer was recognized for his efforts toward making the reconstruction of the Presidio San Agustín a reality through his archaeological and interpretive work as a Desert Archaeology project director.
Governor’s Archaeology Advisory Commission Professional Archaeologist Award: William H. Doelle (2007)
Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards Grand Award Winner: Rio Nuevo Archaeology and Historic Research Public Outreach: Desert Archaeology, Inc., the Center for Desert Archaeology (now Archaeology Southwest), the Arizona State Museum, and the Arizona Historical Society (2005). The five-year Rio Nuevo project sponsored by the City of Tucson culminated in this award to Desert Archaeology and its partners.
