Alison Murray

Dr. Alison Murray serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Victoria. Currently on leave, she maintains her office in Cornett Building, Room B211, and can be contacted via amacintosh@uvic.ca or 250-721-7056. Her academic credentials include a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Her research program centers on biological anthropology with specific expertise in functional anatomy, skeletal biology, life history, metabolism, healthy aging, and evolutionary biomechanics. She investigates how life history trajectories and physical activity influence bone composition across human lifecycles and shape age-related disease risks, while also examining skeletal variation's impact on hominin locomotor biomechanics. This dual focus bridges evolutionary theory with contemporary health applications.

Analysis of her 10 publications from 2017-2024 reveals consistent methodological rigor in studying skeletal adaptation, with recurring themes including sex-specific athletic performance, prehistoric activity patterns, and biomechanical responses to environmental stressors. Her work spans diverse populations from Neolithic Central European farmers to modern ultra-endurance athletes, demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of anthropology, physiology, and evolutionary biology.

Dr. Murray teaches foundational anthropology courses including Biological Anthropology (ANTH 250), Human Osteology (ANTH 352), Evolutionary Biology of Contemporary Health (ANTH 357), Biology of Human Skeletal Variability (ANTH 358), and Evolutionary Anthropology (ANTH 456/552E), reflecting her commitment to translating research into pedagogy.