<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Hello, </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">My name is Emmaleigh Grady and I am a PhD student at Texas A&M University studying biological anthropology. I am currently entering the data collection stage of my dissertation, but have run into an issue related to the use of natural history collections. A mentor of mine suggested reaching out to this listserv to see if any members might be willing to work with me or could offer advice. I thank you in advance for any help you can give. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">For my project, I aim to create an expanded and improved ecometric protocol based on bovid dental metrics and apply it to South African hominin sites. The first step in this project involves creating the ecometric model using modern African bovid specimens. Several of the metrics in my protocol will be measured with calipers, but an accurate crown height measurement for a hypsodonty index requires looking inside of the bone. I have considered many avenues for getting this image (medical, veterinary, dental portable x-ray machines, micro-CT scanners), but it seems the most efficient and cost effective method for obtaining 2-D images of many specimens quicky would be a full body CT scanner at a nearby hospital. The idea would be to place several specimens on the bed at a time and capture them all at once. Unfortunately, this would involve removing specimens from collections, and therein lies the issue. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">This summer I secured funding for a pilot project to solidify this methodology to inform dissertation funding requests, but the museum I had approached wasn’t able to work with me. It is extremely important for me to conduct a pilot study to ensure the method is appropriate, functional, and to the practicalities surrounding it for planning purposes. Fortunately for a pilot study, I could accept a a sample size smaller than needed for dissertation and I would only require modern species. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">As an biological anthropologist with a special interest in paleoanthropology I am very aware of the importance of natural history collections that they are irreplaceable. I have experience in several museums working with specimens of variable age, rarity, and fragility. I say this to emphasize that I understand the responsibility and care required to perform this project. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">As a young researcher I am just beginning to learn about the norms and limitations of working with institutions. Though my advisor and myself think this is a doable project, I wanted to reach out to the collections community before it became too late to pivot if needed. Again, I thank you and appreciate any help or advice you can give me. Also, feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the project. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Have a lovely day,</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Emmaleigh Grady </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">PhD Student at Texas A&M University </p></body></html>