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Choosing the Preservation Studies Program (PSP)
was easy, in fact, I think the program chose me. Thinking like a paleontologist,
I had had a lot of trouble trying to find a paleontology program that would
focus on the preservation of fossils, and was starting to feel like my topic
was not something I could pursue. One afternoon, when I had almost given up, I
decided to change the way I was approaching my PhD quest and the Preservation
Studies Program was the first program I researched. I was hooked. Reading the
bios of the students I saw that it was a truly interdisciplinary program that
covered the most diverse topics, from lacquerware, to paintings, to objects of
trauma. My topic was different from the rest in that it focused on natural
history and not art or material culture, but it was just like the rest in that
it cared about the preservation of heritage. I decided to ask Dr. Joyce Hill
Stoner, the director of PSP, whether my topic was within the scope of the
program. Joyce replied right away saying it was, and this changed my life more
than I could have imagined.
Starting my PhD involved more than coursework and
a new school, it also involved moving to a new country and speaking a different
language. This might seem daunting, but when the classes are more than I had
expected, the professors and administrative staff are supporting, and the
classmates are so helpful, the positive outweighs everything else. My first
year also involved an independent study at the Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural History, with Conservator Catharine Hawks. After passing my exams in
December of 2015, I began several fellowships with Cathy at NMNH that lasted a
total of three years. This allowed me not only to learn from a great mentor,
but also carry out the research for my PhD. I defended my proposal in June
2016, and the research into the conservation of fossils began.