James D. Bigley

Prof. Bigley joined Georgia Southern University in 1991 and retired in 2022.

 

 

Dr. Bigley earned his BS (1980) and his MS (1982) in Recreation Resources Management from Slippery Rock State College and his Ph.D. (1989) in Recreation Resources Development with an emphasis in Cultural Resources Management from Texas A&M University. He is also a graduate of the Winedale Museum Seminar conducted by the Texas Historical Commission. Prior to joining Georgia Southern University, Dr. Bigley served as the Curator and Assistant Superintendent of the Admiral Nimitz Museum (National Museum of the Pacifc War), Fredericksburg, Texas (1986-1989). Dr. Bigley joined the faculty at Georgia Southern University in 1991 as an assistant professor, was promoted to associate professor in 1996, and professor in 2015. During his tenure, Dr. Bigley served twice as the program coordinator of the Recreation and Tourism Management Program. He has served on numerous school, college and university committees as well the Georgia Southern Museum Advisory Board and Curators Committee. He has taught 33 diferent courses at Georgia Southern, including Recreation Management, Tourism Management, Cultural Resources and Heritage Tourism Planning, Marketing Recreation Services, Conference and Event Planning, Computer Applications, Evaluation and Research, and many others. Dr. Bigley was instrumental in the revitalization of the Southeast States Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (SETTRA) and served as President, Vice President, and board member. Dr. Bigley has been awarded the Georgia Southern University Award for Excellence in Service, the College of Health and Human Sciences Award for Excellence in Service, and the “Outstanding Volunteer Service Award” from the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau. Dr. Bigley’s scholarly interests focus on the development and marketing of heritage- and nature-based tourism attractions; the study, documentation, and collective memory interpretations of 20th Century U.S. military history events and material culture; visitor interests, expectations and perceptions relative to heritage and cultural resources focused sites, and museum/historic site management, operations, and collections management. He served as the principal investigator for a $270,000 multi-year grant project that required the inventory and assessment of tourism resources located in the bi-state, 10 county Lower Savannah River Basin and principal investigator in the production of a regional history and ecology-focused Site Interpretation System for the 66-acre LeConte Woodmanston Plantation (Liberty County, Georgia). He also curated three major museum exhibits focused on World War II and conducted research in Carenton, France focused on the interaction of US troops with French civilians during the Normandy Invasion. His research and creative activities have been demonstrated through peerreviewed publications, national and international presentations, and historic site and museum-based interpretive exhibits. In recognition of his many contributions to the school, college, University, and region, Dr. James D. Bigley deserves the title of Professor Emeritus of Recreation and Tourism Management.*