James R. Allison’s archaeological career began with the 1984 BYU field school at Nancy Patterson Village, a community center in southeastern Utah. After obtaining an MA degree from BYU, he obtained a PhD from Arizona State University in 2000. In 2004, he returned to BYU where he is now Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology. In addition to working in southeast Utah, he has directed major research projects in the Fremont and Virgin regions, on the northern and western frontiers of the greater Southwest, with a focus on understanding the social and economic organization of ancient farmers and the historical forces that shaped their societies.