Received Sylff fellowship in 2025
Academic supervisor: Melissa Cheyney
Current affiliation: Oregon State University
Mayra is a PhD candidate in Biocultural Anthropology at Oregon State University. She conducts research on reproductive medical pluralism in Suriname, South America, to understand and recommend the facilitation of allopathic and traditional healthcare practices. Beyond academia, Mayra has worked on projects in forest conservation, traditional knowledge preservation, and community-based development.
She is fluent in multiple languages, including English, Dutch and Sranang tongo (Surinamese Lingua Franca). Her expertise in ethnographic research and community engagement continues to shape policies and academic discourse on reproductive medical pluralism and biocultural diversity in Amazonian and global contexts.
www.linkedin.com/in/mayra-sumter-b7765510
