Dr Alison MacDonald

Interim Director

Biography

BA (Hons), DPhil (Oxon), PG Dip (Oxon), SFHEA

As Interim Director, Alison’s primary objectives are to support and provide leadership to the staff and student community, ensure the effective implementation of new academic provision and structures, and contribute to shaping the Department’s future as a national and international leader in lifelong learning.

After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Sheffield, Alison came to Oxford for her DPhil in Classical Archaeology. Her connection with the Department for Continuing Education began in the 1990s, when she was involved in organising placements for professional archaeology postgraduate students. On completion of her doctorate, she took on a full-time position as Departmental Lecturer in Archaeology. Her more recent roles have included Director of Undergraduate Studies, Assistant Director (Award-Bearing and Accredited Short Courses) and Deputy Director (Education and Student Experience). She retains a particular interest in archaeology and is a member of the Board of Trustees at Oxford Archaeology.

Research interests

Starting her research career as a Roman pottery specialist, Alison has worked on a number of landscape archaeology projects in Italy, including the Tuscania Archaeological Survey, the Sangro Valley Survey and the Upper Esino Valley Survey. More recently her research interests have moved to Roman urban life, the study of material culture and object biography, and individuality and expression of identity in the Roman world.

Recent publications