Jessica O'Reilly
PhD, Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz, GCAS 2005
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Princeton University and the University of California, San Diego
I am a cultural anthropologist interested in Antarctic science a
nd environmental management. As a graduate student, I studied how Antarctic science is portrayed in international policy for the continent. In my current research, I interview Antarctic scientists to learn about the history of scientific assessments of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
In my work with Antarctic scientists, it is crucial to understand not only the content of what they are communicating but also the context. As a GCAS student, I was able to experience firsthand what it is like to live and work in the Antarctic. This experience has improved my ability to ask good questions in my research and to write about Antarctica knowledgably.
GCAS also opened other doors up to me. While taking the course, we were introduced to a wide and diverse network of Antarctic scientists, policy makers, and artists. One of the people I met was Alan Hemmings, an adjunct at Gateway Antarctica. He secured permission for me to attend the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), an environmental NGO. I have continued to work with ASOC and attend the Treaty Meetings since 2006.
GCAS was a wonderful experience itself and because of my involvement in it, I have continued to have interesting and fulfilling research opportunities.