Alison Behie

Alison Behie is a Professor and Head of School in the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University (ANU), leading the Department of Biological Anthropology. She holds a Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from the University of Calgary (2010) and has held academic positions at ANU since 2011, progressing from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and later securing an ARC DECRA fellowship (2016–2021) to study cyclone impacts on primates. Her research focuses on environmental change effects on non-human primates and human populations, particularly stress during pregnancy and disaster impacts on birth outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Her affiliations include the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions and the ANU Researchers profile. Key research projects include studying lemur adaptations in Madagascar, black snub-nosed monkeys in China, and the effects of natural disasters on human and primate populations. Behie’s work bridges ecology, anthropology, and public health, with over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including Nature Communications and PLOS ONE.

Her research highlights include genomic adaptation in endangered primates, cyclone effects on lemur behavior, and qualitative studies on perinatal health during bushfires. Behie collaborates internationally, addressing conservation challenges and climate change impacts through interdisciplinary approaches.