My name is Taylor Mateyka, and I’m 26 years old. I grew up in Edwardsville, Illinois, a small town just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. I graduated from Edwardsville High School, where I was involved in several clubs, including Key Club and EPIC.
After high school, I moved to Wisconsin to study Genetics and Genomics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In my junior year, I studied abroad in Athens, Greece, and that experience completely changed the direction of my life. I fell in love with archaeology, the study of past human societies, and realized that I could combine my interests in science and history.
After finishing my undergraduate degree, I moved to Bologna, Italy, to earn a Master’s degree in Archaeology, specializing in bioarchaeology and osteoarchaeology. These fields combine scientific analysis with archaeology. My research has been on ancient human bones. I spent long hours in labs and museums, learning how to identify age, sex, and signs of disease from skeletal remains. My research focused on how illness and stress left marks on bones, revealing how people lived, worked, and survived thousands of years ago.
I had the opportunity to go to excavations in Greece, Italy, and Oman, giving me hands-on experience in uncovering burials and ancient settlements. For me, it is always important to remember that these bones once belonged to a real person who had their own story. I like to think that these excavations can help give their story back to them. Now, I’m beginning a new adventure in Budapest, Hungary, where I study ancient DNA from ancient individuals. My research combines archaeology, genetics, and computational biology to explore how humans and diseases evolved together.
I’m excited to share my journey with you and to talk about how science and history connect to tell the story of our shared past. Whether in a laboratory or at an excavation site, I’m constantly reminded that biology isn’t just about the living; it’s also the key to understanding those who came before us. I hope my experiences inspire you to stay curious, think across disciplines, and see how science can be used in places you might not expect. I'm also excited to show you more about the new city I live in, as I am also discovering it! It's a beautiful place filled with great food, kind people, fancy architecture, and lots to do!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
