---
title: 'Episode 194: Anna Dhody Part 1 - Bones, Museums, And Seizing Opportunities'
type: 'episode'
url: 'https://doc.social/episodes/episode-194-anna-dhody-part-1-bones-museums-and-seizing-opportunities'
show: 'People of Pathology Podcast'
show_url: 'https://doc.social/podcasts/people-of-pathology-podcast'
published: '2024-12-23'
audio: 'https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/q8gshnuxb2rzmybh/Anna_Dhody_part_17la9m.mp3'
---

# Episode 194: Anna Dhody Part 1 - Bones, Museums, And Seizing Opportunities

My guest today is Forensic Anthropologist Anna Dhody. What we talk about with Anna in part 1: Anna initially studied archaeology, influenced by visits to the Penn Museum in Philadelphia as a child. She developed a passion for archaeology at…

## Summary

My guest today is Forensic Anthropologist Anna Dhody.

What we talk about with Anna in part 1:

- Anna initially studied archaeology, influenced by visits to the Penn Museum in Philadelphia as a child.

- She developed a passion for archaeology at a young age, around 9 or 10 years old.

- Chose Boston University for its separate archaeology department, which offered more opportunities than those combined with anthropology departments.

- After attending an excavation in Belize during her sophomore year, she became interested in biological anthropology, focusing on human bones and their stories.

- She realized the competitive nature of academia and planned to pursue a master's in forensic science instead of a PhD.

- Anna wrote a thesis manual titled "The Underground Crime Scene" for law enforcement on how to excavate buried crime scenes, which gained unexpected international circulation.

- Applied for jobs after graduation and was scouted by the CIA but ultimately accepted a position at Harvard's Peabody Museum due to the need for osteologists for a NAGPRA project.

- Worked at the Peabody Museum for four years, taking advantage of free classes and gaining valuable experience.

- Became involved with a United Nations project in Peru to train local medical personnel in forensic anthropology, which turned into a significant teaching role.

- Returned from Peru and took a temporary position at the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. What was initially meant to last five months ended up lasting nearly 20 years.

- Anna’s career path was shaped by a combination of luck and the challenges faced in the museum world, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities.

Links for this episode:

[Health Podcast Network](https://healthpodcastnetwork.com/)

[ LabVine Learning](http://bit.ly/labvine)

[Dress A Med scrubs](https://dressamed.com/?rfsn=5044297.cb03eb&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5044297.cb03eb)

[Digital Pathology Club](https://digitalpathology.club/digital-pathology-beginners-guide-notification?am_id=dennis985)

[Dhody Research Institute](https://dhodyresearchinstitute.org/)

[Former Mütter Museum forensic anthropologist launches research institute](https://whyy.org/articles/anna-dhody-research-institute-mutter-museum/)

[Dhody Research Institute on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dhody_research_institute/?hl=en)

[Former Curator Anna Dhody has launched the Dhody Research Institute (and you can help)](https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-integrity-of-the-m%C3%BCtter-museum/u/32828763)

People of Pathology Podcast:

[Twitter](https://twitter.com/peopleofpath)

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/peopleofpath/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=87f3e0df-5864-418e-a5b3-5fdd260ba05b)