McMullen Scholars graduate Michael Tritsch ’16 was recognized recently for his work in Egyptology at Johns Hopkins University. His work centers on investigating the purpose and characteristics of historical artifacts based on their inscriptions and chemical composition. His career in this field began with his McMullen Capstone Project, in which he worked with Johns Hopkins Near-Eastern Studies Professor Betsy Bryan to conduct original research into an ornamental bead from King Tutankhamun’s reign. His work for the Capstone Project led him to continue his interest as a student at Hopkins, where he is double-majoring in Archaeology and Near-Eastern Studies. Dr. Bryan is among the leading experts in the field, and her mentorship helped lead Tritsch to develop an extensive thesis-level paper. He notes that “Working on this project confirmed in my mind that Egyptology is what I want to pursue as a career, reinforced the importance of initiative, and increased my confidence in being able to handle a major research project”.  Tritsch presented his Capstone paper at the Society for American Archaeology’s Annual Conference in April alongside peers in the field. He notes that the guidance of the McMullen faculty allowed him to develop his interests and hone his academic talents to prepare to succeed in college.