Tiffiny Tung

Sylvia Cheever, a Ph.D. student in Biological Anthropology, stands outside a trace metal clean laboratory in protective lab gear, including a yellow hair cover, goggles, and a white lab coat.

Ancient Bones, Modern Insights: Investigating Mercury Exposure in Colonial Peru

Nov. 11, 2024—By: Alexandria Leeper, Evolutionary Studies graduate communications assistant Sylvia Cheever, a Ph.D. student in Biological Anthropology at Vanderbilt University, is uncovering the hidden stories of indigenous communities affected by colonial exploitation in Peru. Supported by a pilot grant from the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Cheever’s research focuses on measuring mercury levels in ancient human bones...