Biography

Jess is a Transdisciplinary Researcher and Knowledge Broker with CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere and was previously a research scientist and project leader with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC). She gained a PhD in Quantitative Marine Science from the University of Tasmania in 2010 and was a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. In 2015 Jess was named Tasmania’s Young Tall Poppy of the Year for her research, science communication and policy engagement. In 2017 she was named one of Science and Technology Australia’s 30 STEM superstars and was a finalist in the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards. In 2019 Jess was awarded an Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Tasmania for her distinguished service in the fields of Antarctic marine ecosystems and climate change research. Jess co-founded the Women in Polar Science (WiPS) network and the Homeward Bound Program, which is an Australian led global initiative to foster women’s leadership in science. Jess was one of 12 women scientists globally to have her portrait featured as a constellation on the ceiling of New York’s Grand Central Station as part of General Electric’s 2017 Balance the Equation campaign.