Serena Mueller

College affiliation: Cowell

Department: Anthropology/Sociology 

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? The Dr. Midori Arima Scholarship

When do you expect to graduate? Sometime in 2024; I’m working on dual anthropology/sociology degree

Where do you call home? Aptos, CA (But I grew up in the Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo area)

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? The anthropology department first and foremost: the faculty here is wonderful, but the campus itself is surrounded by breathtaking scenery 

What is your field of focus? aDNA/ancient remains, paleopathology, and forensic anthropology

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Go to graduate school and get a master’s degree–and eventually Ph.D–in Anthropology. I’d like to end up doing forensics or analytical lab work, but I think I’d be content with just about any career tangentially related to anthropology. 

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Realizing I received Dean’s Honors for the first time was a pretty big moment; Being chosen as a co-chair for the Integrated Anthropology Association stands out, as well.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Stay on top of your assignments’/projects’ due dates, go to your professors’ office hours (if only to establish a rapport), and don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

How will this scholarship impact your academic life/research? This scholarship will help fund my summer abroad in Romania completing a settlement excavation and photogrammetry workshop.