Dr. Kendra Murray

Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences

Dr. Kendra Murray is a geologist who uses geochemistry, along with fieldwork and computer modeling, to study the history of mountain ranges, volcanoes, and landscapes. As an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences, Dr. Murray teaches students to use observations of the textures, mineralogy, and geochemistry of Earth materials—from atomic to planetary scales—to understand the processes that form and transform rocks. Outside the classroom, Dr. Murray routinely weaves teaching into many aspects of her work as an ISU faculty member, such as: instructing short courses at national and international geoscience conferences; co-teaching the Department of Geosciences’ nationally recognized capstone course in Field Geology each summer; and mentoring ISU graduate students as they evolve from students to scientists. 

Dr. Murray received a B.A. magna cum laude in Geology with a Concentration in Environment and Technology Studies from Carleton College (Northfield, MN) and M.S. and Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ). Prior to joining the faculty at ISU, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Dr. Murray’s research has taken her to Nova Scotia, Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, the Andes of Chile and Argentina, and across the western United States. Much of her active research is focused on the geologic history of the Northwestern US and Rocky Mountains.