Hey, Margaret! How did you hear about our program?I learned about this program through my school’s anthropology department. It was actually a chance thing that I saw the email advertising this program! However when I first saw it, it immediately caught my attention.
What made you interested in our program?
I’ve always been fascinated with mummies and the cultural practices that go along with mummification. I also like studying old stuff in general and Italy has always been one of the top places I’ve wanted to visit.
What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I’m really excited to actually get to work with the mummies since I’ve never really had much experience with handling and analysing them. I am very excited to be able to analyze dietary remains, learn about paleo-pathology, and facial reconstruction. All of these aspects really help us as the examiner to kind of rehumanize the individuals we’re studying while also learning so much about those who came before us. I am also very very excited about traveling to Italy for the first time! I really love the history of Italy. Sicily especially is exceedingly rich and unique in its history and culture as influences of past civilizations like Rome, Greece, Carthage, and many more left their marks on Sicily.
What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I think I’m most worried about the flight over to Sicily. In general I don’t really like flying. I have done international flights by myself before, but I don’t really like to travel alone. I think I’m most worried about finally arriving there and not knowing where to go and not sure of how to meet up with other people from the group since I’m coming from UD and flying from Philly.
What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
I definitely wish to pursue my masters and eventually a PhD in the field of bioarchaeology or paleopathology. What I hope to do with this degree is to be able to apply knowledge from the past to better understand issues we face today in the fields of biology, specifically pathology. The fairly new field of epigenetics also appeals to me as it concentrates on how environmental and biological factors affect how your genes are expressed. While this is what I envision for myself in the long run, I know that right after I graduate undergrad I want to take a gap year or two. During my gap year I want to travel as much as possible and really figure out what I want to do career wise.
Is this your first time out of the country?
No it's not! I’ve had the great privilege of being able to travel around a bit. I’ve been to a lot of states in the US including Alaska. I also have been out of the country a few times. For family vacations my parents have taken us to Canada multiple times. We also went to China one summer which was really special since I was actually born there but was adopted when I was a baby by my now family. I’ve also been to Israel and Germany. Israel was more of an academic trip through my high school's winter program and Germany was a short exchange student program to improve my German and to experience German culture.
Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
No, I’m really not all too familiar with Italian. The most I know is how to say Hello and Goodbye. I am taking an intensive Latin course before this trip though so hopefully knowing Latin may make learning Italian a little easier...
Who is your favorite mummy?
My favorite mummy is actually the 1,000 year old Buddhist monk mummy encased in a Buddhist statue. This mummy is actually the Chinese Buddhist monk Liuquan who researches believe may have practiced “self mummification” to prepare for life after death in the Buddhist tradition.
