I got my undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and my MA and PhD at Michigan State University.  I also spent some time at the University of Missouri in between, but did not complete a degree there.  All of my degrees were in Anthropology, and I minored in geology as an undergrad.

As the director of the Museum of Anthropology and Planetarium I facilitate the research of others, and educate Wayne State students and the public about astronomy and anthropology.

My favorite ethnography was Wisdom Sits in Places by Keith Basso.  This book showed how Western Apache people talk and think about their landscape in terms of historical events, how their conception of time works, and how all of these ideas are built into their language.  As someone interested in human migration, this made me consider the impact that migration has on community memory in a new way.

I really admire Ellen Ochoa, who I had the opportunity to hear speak a few years ago.  Dr. Ochoa, a physicist and electrical engineer, was the first Hispanic astronaut to fly in space, and she has flown in space four times.  She has also done research in optical engineering that led to multiple patents.  At the time I met her she was the Director of the Johnson Space Center, and she spoke about the ways they were actively working to promote equity within NASA with practical, specific actions, and I really admired the way she valued the ideas and concerns of her colleagues, regardless of their role/job in the organization.

I love to play team trivia and board games! My favorite board game right now is called Terraforming Mars.  I also like growing herbs and vegetables to cook with, and playing with my cat.  I like hiking and camping, and recently bought snowshoes so I can keep hiking in the winter.