What Inspired You to Go Into Vulcanology?

Volcanologist and natural hazards expert Jess Phoenix has dedicated her life to scientific exploration. Her career path—hard-earned in the still male-dominated world of science—has shoved her headlong into deep sea submersibles, congressional races, glittering cocktail parties at Manhattan’s elite Explorers Club, and innumerable pairs of Caterpillar work boots. It has also inspired her to devote her life to making science more inclusive and accessible. As part of her mission to learn as much as possible about how the Earth works, Jess has done science in many remote and dangerous environments. Her work has taken her to the mountains and jungles of South America, rural Mexico, the Hawaiian islands, the Australian Outback, the expanses of the American west, and remote parts of Africa. Jess is a strong advocate for "boots on the ground" science, believing that seeing things up close is the best way to understand them comprehensively. Jess’ book, Ms. Adventure, skillfully blends personal memoir, daring adventure, and scientific exploration, following her adventures from jungles to glaciers, university classrooms to television studios, and even to the side of the world’s largest volcano, where she fixes a tire with a ballpoint pen, bubblegum, and duct tape. Moderated by Lauren Harrell.

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