Alexander Murphy is a Professor of Geography at the University of Oregon in Eugene. An author and lecturer, Murphy is at the forefront of the movement to combat geographic illiteracy in the U.S., spearheading the drive to add geography to the College Board's Advanced Placement program. He is currently president of the Association of American Geographers and vice president of the American Geographic Society. He has published five books, including a popular textbook in Human Geography co-authored with acclaimed geographer Harm de Blij, who will keynote this week on Monday.

Murphy's academic background led him from Yale as an undergraduate to the Columbia University School of Law. He left a promising law practice to pursue his doctorate in geography at the University of Chicago. He specializes in political, cultural and environmental issues, and is one of the country's leading experts on Europe and European issues. Murphy has won teaching awards at both the university level and at the national level, while his work has received support from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Fulbright-Hays program.