Dr. Trish Kemerly’s interest in culture and human behavior stems from her upbringing in South Louisiana, where as the daughter of a Cuban mother and Cajun father, she developed a love of food, music, dance, and all the ways in which humans express their unique traditions and values. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism, she worked as a reporter and then editor of newspapers and magazines for several years, learning much about the variety in human experiences. Her curiosity led her to pursue further education with a masters and then doctorate in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, focusing on what people communicate to others using body modifications and supplements. Her specialty focuses on the social psychology behind the tools humans use to dress the body, and how those choices reflect our understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, beauty ideals, technology, and culture. Dr. Kemerly has been a lecturer at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro since 2012.