Dr. John W. “Jack” Ives is an archaeologist, researcher, author, and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta who has spent his career uncovering clues about the people who lived in North America thousands of years ago.
Before becoming a university professor, Dr. Ives spent more than two decades serving as Alberta’s Provincial Archaeologist, helping study and protect archaeological sites and preserve important pieces of Canada’s cultural history. He later founded the University of Alberta’s Institute of Prairie Archaeology, now known as the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology.
Much of Dr. Ives’ research explores the earliest peoples of North America, particularly those who lived across the Northern Plains and Subarctic regions. His work has examined ancient migrations and the fascinating connections between Indigenous peoples of western Canada and the ancestors of Navajo and Apache peoples in the American Southwest.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ives has worked closely with Indigenous communities and has emphasized the importance of respecting and protecting culturally significant places. In recognition of his work, members of the Blackfoot community adopted him and gave him the name “Awoutaan,” meaning “Shield.”
Archaeology is about much more than digging for artifacts. Archaeologists use evidence left behind by people—from tools and campsites to animal remains and entire landscapes—to piece together stories about how people lived, traveled, survived, and adapted thousands of years ago.
When Dr. Ives joins us, students will have the opportunity to learn what archaeologists actually do, how discoveries can change our understanding of history, what it is like to work at archaeological sites, the importance of preserving Indigenous history and culture, and how students interested in the past can turn that curiosity into a career.
