Aja Carter is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania working on understanding the dynamic locomotion capabilities of extinct animals and the intersection of paleontology and bioinspired robotics. Her Ph.D. work, also completed at the University of Pennsylvania, focused on testing and describing the functional capabilities of spinal columns in the fossil record and developing new techniques for describing joint kinematics in extinct amphibians. In addition to her vertebral pursuits, Aja has also co-authored papers focused on using 3D printing technologies to probe the fossil record experimentally, and DEI initiatives in paleontology which stand at unique crossroads of needs. Working with the Day One team was her first experience in policy writing.