SALISBURY, MD—Salisbury University senior Gabriela “Gaby” Maroto recently earned the 2025 C.G. Turner II and Cambridge University Press Poster Competition Award from the Dental Anthropology Association.
“I’ve learned so much about conducting and presenting research over the last year,” said Maroto, a biological sciences major from Amsterdam, NY. “I had never worked with teeth, high-tech software, and creating images and scientific values, until now.”
The prize is awarded to the best student research poster exploring dental anthropological themes such as forensic anthropology, evolution, anatomy or any field that draws upon dental data.
The project began as summer research sponsored by SU’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (OURCA) with guidance from Dr. Susanne Daly, faculty research mentor, and has been supported by SU’s Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology and Biological Sciences Department.
Maroto presented her research, “Getting to the point: Assessing dietary signal from tooth sharpness in the postcanine dentition of primates,” at the American Association for Biological Anthropologists’ annual meeting, where she engaged in networking sessions and learned from research panelists in the field.
“To go from no academic research experience to winning this award has only strengthened my desire to explore more research opportunities in the future,” she said.
Upon graduating from SU, Maroto will begin her graduate study in anatomy education at Johns Hopkins University later this year.
“I highly encourage undergraduate students to get involved with research in a topic that interests them,” she said. “Find a faculty member to partner with, they are always willing to help you. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support at SU.”
Learn more about SU and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at www.salisbury.edu.
