Kate Spradley

Dr. Kate Spradley is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Texas State University. Her research focuses on forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and human biological variation, with a specific emphasis on migration studies, sex and ancestry estimation, and quantitative methods. She holds an MA from the University of Arkansas (2000) and a PhD from the University of Tennessee (2006).

Her work addresses challenges in identifying migrant remains along the U.S.-Mexico border, using metric data and geometric morphometrics. Recent projects include studying secular change in Mexican migrants and developing ethical standards for forensic research involving human remains. She teaches courses in skeletal biology, forensic anthropology, and human variation, and actively mentors MA students in applied and academic research.

Dr. Spradley’s research integrates interdisciplinary methods, including stable isotope analysis, GIS modeling, and trauma analysis of historical atrocities. She collaborates on projects such as the identification of historical figures and the documentation of war crimes. Her work emphasizes the intersection of forensic science and social justice, particularly in marginalized populations.