911³Ô¹Ï

What stands out as a highlight of your career?

I recognize highlights of my academic career from each of the three key aspects of the multidisciplinary work I do: research, teaching, and mentorship.

1. Research experience and hands-on training at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner. I worked primarily with the Forensic Anthropology Unit under bone histologist, Dr. Christian Crowder, who taught me essential wet lab skills, how to estimate age from bone microstructure, and scientific rigor. This experience formed the foundation of my current research goals focused at the interface of bone biology, biological anthropology, forensic science, and high-resolution imaging.
2. Revitalizing human anatomy medical curricula to maximize hands-on and team-based learning including cadaver dissection, oral presentation skills, virtual resource access (e.g., virtual reality and dissection technology), and in-lab anatomical structure and function discovery.
3. Mentoring the next generation of biomedical scientists, clinicians, and forensic anthropologists.

How did 911³Ô¹Ï impact your career?

I was committed to attending 911³Ô¹Ï and pursued it specifically for faculty in the School of Criminology who led forensic science-focused research programs. I pursued my undergraduate research thesis project under the supervision of Dr. Lynne Bell in the School of Criminology, focused on forensic bone histology which is now my primary research area. I credit Dr. Bell with helping me to find my voice as a fledgling academic and always encouraging the ‘fire in the belly’ -- that passion for discovery.

I further had my first opportunities to volunteer in a biology lab as an undergraduate student under the tutelage of Dr. Gerhard Gries and his graduate students studying mechanisms of insect communication and serve as a Teaching Assistant in the School of Criminology. Such immersive academic experiences at 911³Ô¹Ï were enriching and skill-building, and I appreciated the challenges and rewards of research. 911³Ô¹Ï provided a core foundation in the sciences that allowed me to continue building my skill sets for academic success in the years to come.

What is a piece of advice you would like to pass along to current students?

Actively seek out mentorship and develop creative problem-solving skills. I advise students to get involved in research and reach out to their professors early and often! Students may feel that faculty members are too busy or that they do not have time to entertain their emails, but that is not the case. We love hearing from our students and seeing that passion that we had when we were younger. When learners have that passion, we want to foster and encourage it and provide mentorship. 

Every day is not awarding winning. It is important to remember that rejection happens to every academic! Grants are not funded, manuscripts are rejected, jobs are not offered. All of us experience rejections as well as successes, and it’s important to realize that rejection is not a failure, but a necessary step towards improvement and success.