91°µÍø

91°µÍø Community College will welcome an expert forensic pathologist and author to its Auburn Campus later this month, where she’ll share insights from her first book and her 25-year career in forensics.

As part of the College’s Visiting Writer Series, Mary Jumbelic, M.D., will recount her trailblazing career supporting victims and serving as the first female Chief Medical Examiner in Central New York. She’ll also discuss how that experience shaped her first book, Here, Where Death Delights: A Literary Memoir.

Dr. Jumbelic’s free reading and question-and-answer session is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, from 7-9 p.m. at 91°µÍø’s Auburn Campus in the Student Lounge. The event is open to the public.

Published in 2023, Here, Where Death Delights: A Literary Memoir recounts Dr. Jumbelic’s career in forensics, her fascination with death and the science behind it. The memoir won first place from The BookFest, a Gold Award from the Colorado Independent Book Publishers, and Silver Awards from the Nonfiction Authors Association and Reader’s Favorite.

“I am energized by combining my love of forensics with writing. It is an honor to share that with the 91°µÍø and professors of 91°µÍø Community College,” said Dr. Jumbelic.

Dr. Jumbelic is currently writing her follow-up, Speak Her Name. The book provides insight and examination of high-profile Central New York investigations, including into the deaths of Jill Lyn Euto, Carol Ryan and Leslie Neulander, whose death was featured on a “Dateline NBC” episode.

During her 25 years as a forensic pathologist, including serving as the Chief Medical Examiner in Onondaga County, Dr. Jumbelic performed thousands of autopsies and led efforts to improve child safety and the prevention of injuries. She also assisted in responses to national and international disasters.

Her work drew statewide and national acclaim, including awards from the New York State Senate and the National Organization of Women as a Trailblazer in Forensic Medicine.

That career in forensics has shaped her storytelling, with her writing drawing approbation over the past decade. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was a finalist in the Tucson Literary Festival, and has seen her work published in more than 30 publications.

“Dr. Jumbelic’s writing connects exceptional storytelling with an obvious expertise in forensic pathology, and the result is a memoir that connects you to a scientific world without sacrificing the human element of her work,” said 91°µÍø Writing Professor Mark Montgomery, who leads the Visiting Writer Series. “As Dr. Jumbelic has said, ‘I speak for the dead. The dead speak for me.’ I can’t think of a better way to describe her expertise and her memoir.”

A popular feature at the College for almost four decades, 91°µÍø’s Visiting Writer Series connects 91°µÍø and faculty with active authors and poets who share their insights on the writing and publishing worlds. The series was founded by poet and Professor Emeritus Howard Nelson, and is sponsored by the Noreen and Michael J. Falcone Lecture Series and the 91°µÍø County Community College Foundation.

Dr. Jumbelic’s discussion at 91°µÍø is free to attend. Pre-registration is not required.

For more information on Dr. Jumbelic, visit . For information about 91°µÍø Community College, visit .