Tariq Abdul Kareem has long been fascinated by fossils and the stories specimens can tell. Now, in his new role, he’s finding innovative new ways to explore them.
When Tariq Abdul Kareem first arrived in Michigan in 2017 to pursue graduate studies in paleontology in the department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, he had no idea his path would eventually lead him to the U-M Museum of Zoology. Today, as the new Research Technician Senior for the Biodiversity CT Core, he's combining his passion for vertebrate anatomy with cutting-edge imaging technology that is transforming how scientists study natural history and biodiversity collections.
"I always knew CT scanning was a skill I wanted to learn," he said. "It's become an essential tool in the natural sciences, and this position was the perfect opportunity to develop that expertise while staying connected to museum collections." Originally a Ph.D. student in paleontology, Tariq transitioned to completing a master's degree after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped his academic plans. As he looked for opportunities to remain in Michigan, the CT Core position felt like a natural fit. "The path here wasn't exactly what I expected when I started grad school," he said, "but it has led me to somewhere I'm genuinely excited about."
For Tariq, the power of CT scanning is personal. His own research focuses on fossils from India and Argentina, where regular access to collections can be challenging. "My research depends on specimens from the other side of the world," he said. "You can't always travel back and forth to see them. Having CT scans available means researchers can study those specimens without needing to physically handle them or even travel." He notes another critical advantage that, "CT scanning lets you study specimens without destructive sampling, which many institutions are understandably reluctant to undertake, especially when working with rare specimens."
The ability to expand access while preserving specimens is one of the greatest strengths of CT scanning. Rather than physically cutting into specimens, CT scanning creates detailed three-dimensional images that reveal internal anatomy while leaving specimens completely intact. Those digital models can be studied and segmented, virtually dissecting the individual elements, and can be shared online. This allows researchers around the world to study collections remotely. "With fossils, for instance, you don't always want to disturb how the specimen is preserved just to study what's inside," said Tariq. "CT scanning lets us study such fossils without disturbing them and still be able to virtually pick apart the individual bones."
As museums continue to digitize their holdings, he believes CT imaging will play an increasingly important role in biodiversity research. "The UMMZ has extraordinary collections," he said. "Making that data available digitally would be of great value to researchers around the globe, and significantly contribute to our understanding of the natural world."
In his new role, Tariq is excited to help researchers across disciplines answer new scientific questions using CT technology. He's especially looking forward to scanning more of the UMMZ's collection of reptiles, and more fossils for researchers. "Scanning extant reptiles is an exciting learning curve,” he said. “As much as vertebrate anatomy interests me, I’m much more familiar with bones than soft tissue anatomy, and now I have a wonderful opportunity to even out this knowledge disparity while getting significant experience on a sought-after research service.” In the case of fossils, he says "Getting to scan more fossils is like a full circle moment that allows me to stay connected to my paleontological roots.”
