A group of Centenary University students recently visited Cambridge University in England, where they had the opportunity to study human remains at two of the world’s best osteological collections. Together, the Cambridge Duckworth Collection and the Museum of London house approximately 40,000 remains, some of which date back thousands of years.

Traveling with James Monks, D.C., assistant professor of biology at Centenary University, the students, which included Belvidere’s Rayna Harrison, Washington’s Lauren Steiner, and Philipsburg’s Nicole Boyer, examined remains primarily from the Middle Ages, analyzing them to determine age at death, gender, and ethnic origin. They were also able to identify signs of diseases like cancer, leprosy, and syphilis.

“This short-term study abroad opportunity provided Centenary students with invaluable experience working at one of the most prestigious universities in the world,” said Dr. Monks, who noted that several of the students had never previously traveled abroad. “The trip gave them confidence, in their burgeoning scientific abilities and as citizens of the world.”

While in England, the students visited several of the colleges at Cambridge University, as well as the dorm room where Sir Isaac Newton stayed and did research, and the botanical garden where Charles Darwin studied plants and insects. Their tour also included stops at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, and Abbey Road.

Centenary University offers a wide range of study abroad programs, from traditional semesters abroad to short-term opportunities. This spring, another student group traveled to Ireland, where they paid a courtesy call on Irish President Michael D. Higgins to discuss pressing issues facing Ireland and the wider world, including climate change and attitudes on migration.