BA in Anthropology

Miranda Carver Martin, 2014

Year you graduated with your BA:

2014 (December)

Where you are employed currently and the job you hold:

Child Trends, Senior Research Assistant

What you like about your work:

I have had the opportunity to contribute to a wide variety of social science research projects. This has allowed me to work closely with colleagues from a multitude of backgrounds, develop new skills, strengthen existing capabilities, and discover new interests. In this position I have also been able to stay with many of the same projects as they progress through all stages of the research process. I find I enjoy my work and develop great relationships with my colleagues when I can become an integral part of a team throughout the life of a project.

How you use what you learned from anthropology and your anthropological training at Mason:

One of my key takeaways from my anthropological training at Mason is an appreciation for the multitude of social forces and other contextual factors that affect how different individuals might interpret an issue, situation, or concept. This understanding and the ability to think critically about the ways in which information is presented are, in my view, very important when conducting social science research. They are also useful in my workplace, as I have found that effective and high-quality communication among team members is critical to a project's success. In addition, my coursework at Mason provided me with the opportunity to conduct several independent, qualitative research studies, as well as a large number of literature reviews. The methodological skills these activities allowed me to cultivate have proven indispensable in my current position at a research organization.