Christopher Woods was an associate professor of Sumerian in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (now Middle Eastern Studies) at the University of Chicago before becoming the Director of the Oriental Institute. His research and writings focus on Sumerian language as well as early Mesopotamian religion, literature, mathematics and administration. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies.

After leaving the Oriental Institute, Woods became the Williams Director of the PENN Museum and Professor of Assyriology and Sumerology at the University of Pennsylvania.