Students

Zindy Cruz

Zindy is a forensic anthropologist and bioarchaeologist who received a B.S. degree in Anthropology from Western Carolina University and an MA in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Before starting on their Ph.D. journey under the advisement of Dr. Donovan Adams, Zindy spent over a year trekking the Everglades as an archaeological technician with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Currently, they are focusing on forensic anthropology, with interests in identification methods for Latin Americans and migrant populations. Their goal is to incorporate a biocultural understanding of embodied life experiences to help aid in identification efforts. Previous research focused on mobility theory and strontium isotopic analysis for the Guangala culture in Salango, Ecuador. 

C Trent

C is a bioarchaeologist who received dual B.A. degrees in Anthropology and Criminology from University of South Florida in 2021. They received their MA in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida in 2023. They are a current Anthropology Ph.D. student under the advising of Dr. Donovan Adams. Their thesis research centered around the lived experiences of juveniles in ancient Anatolia through a biocultural lens. They utilize dental anthropology, the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease model, and stress to interpret the effects of changing demographic and social processes during the Early Bronze Age on local populations. Their work contributes to a greater body of research regarding kinship, community, juvenility and childhood, and lived experience in ancient Anatolia. They are also involved in collaborative work investigating the weaning practices and lived experience of Medieval Szeklers through isotopic and paleopathological analyses.

Additionally, they serve as a Graduate Research Assistant to Dr. Adams as a part of a Wenner-Gren funded project (Gr. 10255) investigating the use of anthropological ideas by racial and gender extremists on social media platforms.

Karla A. Torres De Jesús

Karla is an M.A. student in Biological Anthropology at the University of Central Florida under the advisement of Dr. Donovan Adams, with a focus on forensic anthropology. She received her B.S. degree in Forensic Science from Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus, with concentrations in Psychology and Biomedical Sciences. Her previous experience includes work with the Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences (ICF), where she gained practical experience in human identification and forensic anthropology, including the examination and analysis of skeletal remains. She also has a background in forensic research involving nanotechnology and the application of nanomaterials in forensic analysis. Currently, her interests focus on forensic anthropology, human identification, biological profile estimation, and the application of interdisciplinary scientific methods to forensic investigations, particularly in Puerto Rico. Her goal is to contribute to research and identification approaches that address the challenges of forensic investigations in tropical environments.

Dani Hopkins

Dani earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University and is currently an anatomy tutor for Chattahoochee Technical College.  After conducting ethnographic research with professionals in the field of death investigation, their research interests turned to the philosophies that the medicolegal system is built on.  As a Master’s student, their aim is to investigate necroviolence committed on the unnamed dead—especially the erasure of T.G.D. individuals—and develop more ethical death investigation methods.  Dani has participated in many research studies and appreciates any opportunity to volunteer.

Kat Lane

Kat is a forensic anthropologist and bioarchaeologist who received her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Central Florida. She also holds an M.A. in Anthropology from Georgia State University and B.S. in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University. Kat currently works as a Bioarchaeologist with Chronicle Heritage, where she conducts burial excavations and skeletal analysis of historic remains. 

Kat’s research interests include osteological sex estimation and the application of fuzzy logic to model human variation. Her work critically engages with concepts of biological normalcy (feedback loop between research and culture that defines what is “normal”) and seeks to reconceptualize how sex is framed in forensic anthropology—not only in the methods for the estimation of sex, but in the language, assumptions, and classificatory frameworks that structure the field. By emphasizing complexity, uncertainty, and inclusivity, her work advocates for more ethical and representative approaches, particularly in relation to transgender and gender-diverse individuals.