Cara Wall-Scheffler

Dr. Cara Wall-Scheffler is a Professor of Biology and Division Lead for Natural Sciences at Seattle Pacific University's College of Applied and Natural Sciences. She holds a BA from SPU (2000), MPhil (2001) and PhD (2005) from the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on human sexual dimorphism, particularly evolutionary adaptations related to thermoregulation and locomotion. She has pioneered studies on women's unique efficiency in load-carrying, linking pelvic morphology to energetic advantages. Her work combines biomechanical analysis with anthropological insights, often involving undergraduate co-authors.

Teaching includes human physiology and evolutionary mechanisms, with fieldwork at Blakely Island. Key findings include women's superior endurance capabilities due to smaller body size and broader pelves, challenging traditional 'Man the Hunter' narratives through ethnographic analysis of women's hunting contributions. Over 30 peer-reviewed articles highlight her work in American Journal of Human Biology, Evolutionary Anthropology, and PLoS One. Awards not explicitly listed, but her research has received international attention for redefining evolutionary perspectives on human morphology.