Welcome to the latest Sully Asks A Scientist (SAAS for short)! This one features my friend from Penn State's Anth Dept - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA!!!
As a quick reminder, these SAAS guest blog posts will feature a Q&A format that will hopefully allow you to learn about who these scientists are as people. I'll also be sure to incorporate plenty of links for you to have quick and easy access to social media pro les, websites, articles, and other means of finding out more about each guest's research. Please leave some comments and let me know if there are other questions you'd like answered, or scientists you'd be keen on reading about. Enjoy!
As a quick reminder, these SAAS guest blog posts will feature a Q&A format that will hopefully allow you to learn about who these scientists are as people. I'll also be sure to incorporate plenty of links for you to have quick and easy access to social media pro les, websites, articles, and other means of finding out more about each guest's research. Please leave some comments and let me know if there are other questions you'd like answered, or scientists you'd be keen on reading about. Enjoy!
What is your elevator pitch? AKA what do you do/study?
I study the evolution of human hair diversity. My research is focused on understanding the evolutionary factors that contributed to humans becoming these weird naked primates with hairy scalps. I’m trying to combine quantitative imaging and experimental data with genetic data to see if we can find any evidence for natural selection playing a role in the evolution of human scalp hair morphology.
Click the image below to visit Tina's incredible blog, and click here to check out her Twitter page!
Let’s get to know you a little bit better.
What are your top three favorite/coolest organisms?
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Do you have any pets?
I do not currently have pets, but I did once have a toad that I loved very much, but then my dad tricked me into releasing it into the wild and getting a goldfish instead. In the future, I would however very much like to have something large and fluffy, like a giant rabbit.
I do not currently have pets, but I did once have a toad that I loved very much, but then my dad tricked me into releasing it into the wild and getting a goldfish instead. In the future, I would however very much like to have something large and fluffy, like a giant rabbit.
What are some of your hobbies?
I like to run and I’ve recently started doing yoga. I would say that traveling is my hobby, but I have no time for that in grad school, so instead I live vicariously through Instagram’s #travel.
I like to run and I’ve recently started doing yoga. I would say that traveling is my hobby, but I have no time for that in grad school, so instead I live vicariously through Instagram’s #travel.
Who do you vent to when things are going wrong?
My partner, Pierre-Clément. He listens, then makes me laugh, then laughs at my snorting.
My partner, Pierre-Clément. He listens, then makes me laugh, then laughs at my snorting.
And I’m also infinitely grateful to have my bestie Talia [below] in the program with me, because her office is only 2 feet away from mine if I ever need to bother her (which is often). Diego & Maggie are two of my closest friends and I’m so happy they’re there for me whenever I need them. |
What language do you want to learn?
Oh boy, you are gonna regret asking me that question. I WANT TO LEARN ALL OF THE LANGUAGES! I want to learn Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and Hindi and Tamil and… Ugh, I really want to learn so many languages! But, if I HAVE to be realistic, I’d really like to learn Spanish (I’m trying to, at the moment). I’d also like to become fluent in Bulgarian again (my mother’s language), and I’d like to learn Yoruba (my father’s language).
Oh boy, you are gonna regret asking me that question. I WANT TO LEARN ALL OF THE LANGUAGES! I want to learn Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and Hindi and Tamil and… Ugh, I really want to learn so many languages! But, if I HAVE to be realistic, I’d really like to learn Spanish (I’m trying to, at the moment). I’d also like to become fluent in Bulgarian again (my mother’s language), and I’d like to learn Yoruba (my father’s language).
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I would like to go back to India. I spent 6 months living in Chennai (South India) and it was honestly the most amazing place I’ve ever been - there’s so much to see in terms of nature and culture.
I would like to go back to India. I spent 6 months living in Chennai (South India) and it was honestly the most amazing place I’ve ever been - there’s so much to see in terms of nature and culture.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Easy, I would have the ability to stop time. I am constantly running out of time, haha. I would hit the pause button to take naps and write my dissertation - it would be amazing!
Easy, I would have the ability to stop time. I am constantly running out of time, haha. I would hit the pause button to take naps and write my dissertation - it would be amazing!
What sorts of music do you listen to?
I listen to a wide range of music. From my teen years, I’ve held on to my love of Evanescence, Nightwish, Rammstein and Korn. But, I also love pop music, French rap, chalga (Bulgarian pop folk) and random things like the Red Army Choir (in hindsight, I realize everything in this list may seem random).
I listen to a wide range of music. From my teen years, I’ve held on to my love of Evanescence, Nightwish, Rammstein and Korn. But, I also love pop music, French rap, chalga (Bulgarian pop folk) and random things like the Red Army Choir (in hindsight, I realize everything in this list may seem random).
Ok, now let’s get down to business.
When/how did you know you wanted to get into the world of scientific research?
Honestly, I had no intention of getting into science until the 2nd year of my bachelor’s degree. I got into Archaeology & Anthropology thinking I would study cultural anthropology, but then I was introduced to Nina Jablonski (my current advisor) and her work on the evolution of skin color and I became fascinated by understanding human phenotypic variation from a scientific perspective.
Honestly, I had no intention of getting into science until the 2nd year of my bachelor’s degree. I got into Archaeology & Anthropology thinking I would study cultural anthropology, but then I was introduced to Nina Jablonski (my current advisor) and her work on the evolution of skin color and I became fascinated by understanding human phenotypic variation from a scientific perspective.
What are your strengths/weaknesses as a researcher?
Strength: I can get excited about anything.
Weakness: I can get excited about anything. This means I frequently try to do too much and get off track, so I always have to reel it in.
Strength: I can get excited about anything.
Weakness: I can get excited about anything. This means I frequently try to do too much and get off track, so I always have to reel it in.
How do you attempt to maintain a work-life balance?
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what ‘work-life balance’ really means, but I try to get enough sleep, exercise every day and watch/read fun stuff at least an hour a day. Google calendar helps a lot and I try to convince myself that it’s better to schedule in ‘non-work’ time than to burn out and do nothing for weeks, but it’s hard when you always feel like you should be doing more.
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what ‘work-life balance’ really means, but I try to get enough sleep, exercise every day and watch/read fun stuff at least an hour a day. Google calendar helps a lot and I try to convince myself that it’s better to schedule in ‘non-work’ time than to burn out and do nothing for weeks, but it’s hard when you always feel like you should be doing more.
What do you like/dislike about your research?
Like: It’s a really interesting question that no one has managed to answer before, so it’s exciting to find new methods and bits of evidence to understand a feature as fundamentally human as scalp hair.
Dislike: Since I’m doing a lot of things that haven’t been attempted before, there are no established methods/protocols I can use. It can be fun, but it’s a bit scary to be the one ‘inventing’ things sometimes.
Like: It’s a really interesting question that no one has managed to answer before, so it’s exciting to find new methods and bits of evidence to understand a feature as fundamentally human as scalp hair.
Dislike: Since I’m doing a lot of things that haven’t been attempted before, there are no established methods/protocols I can use. It can be fun, but it’s a bit scary to be the one ‘inventing’ things sometimes.
What do you like/dislike about academia (AKA research/higher-ed community)?
Like: There’s a lot of flexibility in your schedule and you always have new opportunities to learn something.
Dislike: There is some truth to the stereotype of the ‘ivory tower’ [below]. Academics can be detached from the ‘real world’ and consider themselves more important/influential than they really are. You can really see this in the way that some faculty look down on outreach and science communication.
Like: There’s a lot of flexibility in your schedule and you always have new opportunities to learn something.
Dislike: There is some truth to the stereotype of the ‘ivory tower’ [below]. Academics can be detached from the ‘real world’ and consider themselves more important/influential than they really are. You can really see this in the way that some faculty look down on outreach and science communication.
What is something that fascinates you from a field that is not your own?
I’ve always been fascinated by history. I’m particularly interested by historical accounts of encounters between different populations. A friend I went to Cambridge with, Kendra Evans, is doing her graduate work on historical documents detailing Japanese encounters with Africans (pre-colonialism) - how amazing is that???
I’ve always been fascinated by history. I’m particularly interested by historical accounts of encounters between different populations. A friend I went to Cambridge with, Kendra Evans, is doing her graduate work on historical documents detailing Japanese encounters with Africans (pre-colonialism) - how amazing is that???
Who would you say is inspirational?
Every person who has ever taken the time to explain any bit of science/academia to someone! So that includes you, Alexis! [Aww thanks Tina <3.] And Katie, and Maggie (god, she’s taught me so much about reptile reproduction, lol)! Helping people learn is an undervalued but crucial aspect of science and academia. I’m so grateful to people who take the time to teach me something; it genuinely inspires me to do my best and pay it forward.
Every person who has ever taken the time to explain any bit of science/academia to someone! So that includes you, Alexis! [Aww thanks Tina <3.] And Katie, and Maggie (god, she’s taught me so much about reptile reproduction, lol)! Helping people learn is an undervalued but crucial aspect of science and academia. I’m so grateful to people who take the time to teach me something; it genuinely inspires me to do my best and pay it forward.
What do you do/need to get focused and get your work done?
I need absolute isolation and quiet (or white noise). I have the shortest attention span in the world, so it really puts me off track when I’m interrupted by scheduled or unscheduled distractions. That’s why I like to work in the early mornings or the weekends, when there’s no one in the department.
I need absolute isolation and quiet (or white noise). I have the shortest attention span in the world, so it really puts me off track when I’m interrupted by scheduled or unscheduled distractions. That’s why I like to work in the early mornings or the weekends, when there’s no one in the department.
What advice would you give five-year-old you? What about fifteen-year-old you?
I have no clue what five-year-old me was doing, haha, so I’m drawing a blank for advice. But, I would tell fifteen-year-old me to spend less time on politics and more time science - it will be (slightly) less frustrating.
I have no clue what five-year-old me was doing, haha, so I’m drawing a blank for advice. But, I would tell fifteen-year-old me to spend less time on politics and more time science - it will be (slightly) less frustrating.
Where do you hope to go with your career?
I really hope I can do work in science communication, whether it’s a full-time thing, or something that I do as an academic. I love telling stories, and science has too many fascinating tales not to share them with the world!
I really hope I can do work in science communication, whether it’s a full-time thing, or something that I do as an academic. I love telling stories, and science has too many fascinating tales not to share them with the world!