As Professor of Egyptology, Joyce has a career-long determination to make the past accessible to all. With support from the Egyptology team, Joyce has developed a pioneering suite of online programmes designed to reach students who, for various reasons, could not attend traditional, face-to-face lectures.

Joyce studied the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean at Liverpool University, then obtained a D.Phil in prehistoric archaeology from Oxford University. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton and is a Research Associate of the Manchester Museum. Joyce is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2024, she was awarded the OBE in recognition of her services to Egyptology and heritage.

Dr Nicky Nielsen, Senior Lecturer in Egyptology at The University of Manchester, said: “This is a very well-deserved honour. Professor Tyldesley has shaped the study of Egyptian archaeology here at Manchester for decades, as well as her extensive work in outreach and scholarly communication, and it’s wonderful to see her get recognition from the wider field.”

The Current Archaeology awards celebrate the projects and publications that made the pages of the magazine over the past 12 months, and the people shortlisted have made outstanding contributions to archaeology. The awards were voted for by the public, with Joyce being named the people’s winner at the ceremony on Saturday 1 March.

Professor Joyce Tyldesley said: “I feel so honoured to win the archaeologist of the year award - thank you to Current Archaeology, and to everyone who voted. I regard this as an award to be shared with my amazing team at The University of Manchester, all of whom are all dedicated to making the past accessible to all. I would like to give special thanks to Paul Bahn, who has supported my writing career for over 40 years, to Rosalie David who gave me my first permanent teaching post, and to my husband, Steven Snape.”

"Joyce’s work and its impact are highly valued by all her colleagues in the department, and the University as a whole," said Professor Peter Liddel, Head of Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology. “Congratulations Joyce on another hugely deserved recognition of your achievements and contributions.”

Reflecting her interest in outreach, Joyce has published a series of books and articles on ancient Egypt, including three television tie-in books and Cleopatra, Last Queen of Egypt, which was a Radio 4 "Book of the Week". Her book Tutankhamen: The Search for an Egyptian King, won the Felicia A Holton Book Award from the Archaeological Institute of America.