Work Experience
Cynthia has received a B.A. in Anthropology, an M.A. in Museum Science and a M.S. in Forensic Science from Texas Tech University.
She has held positions directly related to both her areas of study, such as the Research Coordinator for the Institute for Forensic Science where she headed the development of the research component as it pertains to the mission of the Institute for Forensic Science. As a Forensic Scientist, Cynthia is trained to provide impartial scientific evidence for use in courts of law to support the prosecution or defense in criminal and civil investigations. She has worked closely with law enforcement personnel overseeing law enforcement training.
As the Objects Conservator within the Anthropology Division of the Museum of Texas Tech University and the Lubbock Lake Landmark Archaeological Site, Cynthia oversaw all conservation projects held within the division, advised staff, and created custom housing/packaging for sensitive objects. The position revolved around the conservation projects occurring within a laboratory/field setting with responsibilities ranging from cleaning artifacts to stabilizing bone material recovered from field-generated collections and all collections acquired through donations. Also during this time, she designed and implemented a class for the Comite` International pour la Documentation (CIDOC), a unit of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The class is a professional development class for an international audience of museum professionals.
Previously, Cynthia served as the curator/archivist for the Mission Historical Museum, where she supervised staff and set up internship opportunities with students for the University of Texas Pan-American. As curator, Cynthia set up exhibits, planned events, oversaw accessions, maintained the care of collections, and developed training workshops for volunteers. Her main areas of expertise are conservation and care of collections, along with the development of research. She developed labs that are supplemental to graduate-level collections management courses. Cynthia has been a frequent presenter and organizer of sessions at state, regional, and national conferences that focus on museum collections conservation and has assisted with workshops that teach museum professionals how barcoding technology can improve performance of collections management skills. As an anthropologist, Cynthia is a devoted social scientist providing insight into various cultural communities throughout history and in present times. Her expertise is cultural, biological, and physical anthropology and archaeology, often integrating the perspectives of these areas through the guidance of student research, teaching, and her professional life.