Jandi Palmer
Title of Program: Forensic Odontology with an Emphasis on American Wars
E-mail Address: jpalme23@vols.utk.edu
Hometown: Lenoir City, TN
Year: Senior
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2020
Description of Program: My program encompasses many different fields that a Forensic Odontologist will be exposed to in their career and in my desired specialty; in addition to preparing me for dental school, my program aims to also educate me on American History and past conflicts, Criminology, Anthropology, Forensic Science, and Political Science. By emphasizing American Wars and incorporating a history aspect to my program, I will come to better understand American interventions and past conflicts ranging from WWI to the Gulf Wars. This knowledge applies to my future specialty of working with identifying POWs and MIAs still missing from various past conflicts. My anthropological, sociological, and dental aspect of my program focuses more on the general responsibilities of a Forensic Odontologist when working on forensic cases involving bite marks, body identification and/or malpractice.
Departmental Emphases:Anthropology, Political Science, American History, Sociology, and Law
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Murray Marks & Dr. Joanne Devlin
Plans after graduation (career, graduate/professional school, etc.): Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee, I plan to attend dental school. While earning my DDS, I will also work on acquiring certification by the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO). After graduating dental school, I plan to open my own dental office or co-practice while aiding law enforcement on cases involving bite marks, dental record identifications, and malpractice. After gaining experience in Forensic Odontology, I hope to work in accordance with the DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) in accounting for POWs and MIAs still missing from past American conflicts. I will use my expertise in dentistry and experience in forensic science to identify missing Americans.
Other Academic Interests: I love learning about the history of Baroque and Spanish art; I also enjoy literature and poetry, dental science, ceramics and 3D art.
Study Abroad: Studied mortuary archaeology in Drawsko, Poland, summer 2019.
Part-time employment; Hobbies; Campus Clubs/Activities: I currently have a part time job as a pharmacy technician year round. I enjoy coffee, badminton, painting & photography, hiking, cooking, and caring for llamas. I am a current volunteer at the Forensic Anthropology Center and Facility, and I also volunteer with Remote Area Medical (RAM Clinics). I am co-founder and VP of the UAFS.
