Turhon A. Murad

Abstract

Dr. Turhon A. Murad was the first tenure-track biological anthropologist hired at California State University, Chico (Chico State). He founded the Human Identification Laboratory in 1974, became the 42nd Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology in 1989, started the Chico State Certificate in Forensic Identification in 1995, and was active in forensic casework for 40 years. Turhon had a long, successful career as a professor and forensic anthropologist and was influential in the careers and lives of countless students, many of whom became forensic anthropologists. This biography was developed from discussions among the coauthors, all of whom were mentored by Turhon as master’s students. We highlight his key accomplishments, contributions to the field, and the role he played as a mentor and friend. While Turhon sometimes felt like an outsider in the field, given that his academic lineage was outside of forensic anthropology, he was tremendously proud of his students’ accomplishments and the strong program he helped build at Chico State.