Meet AIHP New Intern Kaitlyn Cimenian

At AIHP, we believe that our people are what make us truly special. Today, we’re excited to introduce you to one of the amazing individuals who gives their time and talent to the Institute. Meet Kaitlyn Cimenian, one of our three summer interns. 

Coming to AIHP from New England, Kaitlyn is a third-semester Capstone student in the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Pharmacy’s Psychoactive Pharmaceutical Investigation program.

Get to Know Us: An Interview with Kaitlyn Cimenian

What excites you about doing your internship at AIHP?

The opportunity to investigate the history of plant medicines and their impact on shaping modern medicine in America.

What is special to you about our current collections projects?

AIHP’s digital library—it offers individuals the ability to explore some of the organization’s artifacts from virtually anywhere.

Have you encountered anything in the collections that you found particularly exciting to work with or want to share with the public?

Right now, I’m sorting through AIHP’s George Bender Collection, which includes a series of letters from scientists, botanists, pharmaceutical companies, and a few cross-border contacts. This collection helps tell the story of how Muscale Buttons (Peyote) entered the U.S. pharmaceutical system, which is quite fascinating.

The AIHP is over eighty years old, and you can still see the traces of people who have contributed time and effort to its mission. What mark do you hope to leave on the Institute?

I hope to help AIHP deepen public knowledge and appreciation of the often-overlooked history of plant medicines.

Bonus: Any other fun facts you’d like to share?

My grandfather had a special passion for recalling and sharing stories from American history (seriously, the man was a walking encyclopedia). One of his dreams was to become a history professor, but life had other plans. I didn’t fully appreciate his gift until after he passed, but it’s something I’ll carry with me moving forward.