What drew you to the study of the ancient world?

I was always interested in history in general, from a very early age; when I saw Titanic at age 7, I became immediately fascinated by the ability to recover materials, even from disaster sites underwater, and to understand what life was like for people through the objects left behind. A few years later I encountered Egyptian and Hellenistic history in my social studies classes and from then on, I was hooked! I started out with a fascination with Hellenistic and Roman history but the things people built, made, and used always drew me in more than historical or literary texts; I was so fascinated by the signs of human hands, habits, and interactions that we can uncover when we look hard enough. (No real surprise that I ended up a pottery specialist!)

Who or what supported or motivated you on your path to where you are today?

I had wonderful mentors as a young person, for whom I am extremely grateful. An English teacher who taught me Grades 9 through 12 (Mr. Michael Reist) was exceptionally encouraging and always pushed me to think hard about everything; even though we weren’t talking about history or archaeology in his classes, he was a major intellectual inspiration for me. A guidance counsellor at my high school, Ms. Teri-Lynn Brennan, ran an anthropology club which I eagerly attended and she really got me on the path of thinking thoughtfully through archaeology as a field. Finally – I was buoyed constantly by my family. Parts of my time in grad school were really hard, and it was actually really nice to have people who were in my corner no matter what. I was sad to be far from them but they were always supportive of me pursuing something that was a dream for me.

What’s something you wish your professors or peers understood about the FGLI experience?

So many things! The first thing that comes to mind is to say that some of us are really coming into the field, and academia more generally, with limited knowledge about various parts of this strange world. I recently commented to a friend that I don’t think I realized until the first year of my PhD that being an academic wasn’t just about teaching students at a university (which was my main motivation for pursuing a PhD!). I had some professors, mentors, and peers who were incredibly patient with me instead of being condescending and guided me gently through moments or situations where I was definitely wading through the dark or putting my foot in my mouth accidentally. I guess I’d say that I want people to understand that coming into this field as a FGLI student involves an incredible level of uncertainty but that FGLI students come in with earnestness and passion that should be cultivated on its own terms. I am really glad that many people whose path I crossed saw me as worth the investment of their time and mentorship rather than writing me off. The other thing I’d add is that, even after years in graduate school, some FGLI grad students will have to make choices around employment and stability that might not be immediately comprehensible to others – which was my case and I’m sure has been the case for other FGLI people before me, and others after me.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’ll say that I am proud of my advocacy at the University of Michigan via my union. I was very involved for many years. It was not always easy but I am proud that I dedicated a lot of time with other workers fighting to make graduate study more accessible to and financially manageable for people coming from FGLI backgrounds. And of course I’m very proud of my dissertation, even with its flaws!