Ph.D in Anatomy Education

Why did you choose graduate school at IUPUI?

I’ve been a student at IUPUI for almost a decade! I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees here and I feel very comfortable on campus. It’s almost like a second home to me. I knew earning a Ph.D was going to be a challenge both academically and personally, so I wanted to be surrounded by faculty and peers who I already knew and enjoyed working with. Having that established community for support has helped me to thrive as a graduate student.

What has been your favorite academic accomplishment since you’ve been here?

This isn’t necessarily an accomplishment, but I love all the different people I get to work with through research and teaching. Every time I have students and colleagues who stop me in the hallways to say hi or thank me for helping them in the anatomy lab makes me feel really good and validated in the career path that I’ve chosen.

What do you enjoy most about life in Indianapolis?

Indianapolis is home for me! I’ve lived here most of my life. Many of my friends and family are still here and I’ve made lots of new connections since becoming a graduate student. I like that it is a mid-sized city but with a hometown feel. I’m constantly running into people I know when I’m out and about.

Please provide some details about your work/research as a graduate student and/or any activities you are involved in.

I have quite a few research interests. My main interest is anatomical terminology and how students learn the languages of anatomy and medicine. In particular, I’ve been focusing on eponyms – terms named after other people. These terms are often used without any context, and I want to shed some light on them and how useful they may or may not be for communication. It’s a nice blend of historical and educational research. I’m also very interested in public outreach for science, which is why I chose to do a minor in communicating science. As an anatomist I think everyone could benefit from knowing more about the human body and science in general, so all my scholarly pursuits are towards that goal.