James Edward Brady Ph.D. ’89

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James Edward Brady Ph.D. ’89 Seldom does a student, however gifted, conduct research so significant that it promises to revolutionize an entire field. Yet archaeologist James Edward Brady, who discovered a large Guatemalan cave containing Mayan wall paintings, will undoubtedly accomplish exactly that. Because the paintings reveal much about Mayan beliefs that was heretofore unknown, Brady’s dissertation is expected to have far-reaching impact on our knowledge of the Mayan religions and its ritual.

Brady, who has authored or coauthored some 15 scholarly articles and delivered nearly a dozen papers and reports, has been the recipient of numerous fellowships and grants, including a National Science Foundation grant and a Fulbright-Hays Training Fellowship, and has been showered with awards. Yet even as a full-time graduate student with compelling demands on his time, Brady has made a point of contributing his expertise to the Natural History Museum and to Guatemalan refugees in Los Angeles. At the University, he has been responsible for organizing meetings of the Mesoamerican Network and has regularly supplied fellow students with information on grant and fellowship opportunities. Communicator, diplomat and researcher – Jim Brady is a striking example of what happens when a great student and a great university join forces.