Jacquelyn Gill
{{short description|Paleoecologist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jacquelyn Gill
| image = Jacquelyn Gill on Breaking Bio.jpg
| caption = Gill talks to Breaking Bio in 2013
| education = University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of the Atlantic
| employer = University of Maine
| known_for = Paleoecology
}}
Jacquelyn Gill is a paleoecologist and assistant professor of climate science at the University of Maine. She has worked on such as the relationship between megafauna and vegetation in the Pleistocene, and the sediment cores of Jamaica. Gill is also a science communicator on climate change.
Education
Gill was inspired into a scientific career whilst exploring caves in the hills of Acadia National Park, when it struck her that they had formed when the sea level was higher, and were lifted up when Maine's coast bounced back after being pushed down by the weight of Ice Age glaciers.{{Cite news |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2017/12/31/jacquelyn-gill/ |title=Finalist: Jacquelyn Gill, creator of March for Science |date=2017-12-31 |work=Portland Press Herald |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}} In 2005 Gill achieved a BSc in Human Ecology at the College of the Atlantic, and studied a short course in palynology at the University of London.{{Cite web |url=http://climatechange.umaine.edu/people/profile/jacquelyn_gill |title=Jacquelyn Gill {{!}} Climate Change Institute |website=climatechange.umaine.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15 |archive-date=2018-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828024904/http://climatechange.umaine.edu/people/profile/jacquelyn_gill |url-status=dead }} She then moved to the University of Wisconsin, where she completed a PhD entitled, "The biogeography of biotic upheaval: Novel plant associations and the end - Pleistocene megafaunal extinction", under the supervision of Dr John Williams in 2012.{{Cite web |url=http://disccrs.org/dissertation_abstract?abs_id=4553 |title=The biogeography of biotic upheaval: Novel plant associations and the end - Pleistocene megafaunal extinction |website=disccrs.org |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15 |archive-date=2019-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031063032/http://disccrs.org/dissertation_abstract?abs_id=4553 |url-status=dead }} This work examined the impact of the extinction of giant Pleistocene animals on plant life.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/kzndzm/this-ecologist-finds-clues-to-anthropocene-survival-in-ice-age-extinctions |title=This Ecologist Finds Clues to Anthropocene Survival in Ice Age Extinctions |last=Ferreira |first=Becky |date=2018-01-26 |website=Vice |language=en |access-date=2019-10-17}} In 2008 she was the recipient of the E. Lucy Braun Award for Excellence in Ecology.{{Cite web|url=https://esa.org/history/e-lucy-braun-award/ |title=The Ecological Society of America Records |website=esa.org |access-date=2018-01-15}} In 2010 she was awarded the Ecological Society of America Cooper Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.esa.org/esa/ecological-society-of-america-announces-2010-award-recipients/ |title=Ecological Society of America announces 2010 award recipients |website=www.esa.org |access-date=2018-01-15}} She also received the Whitbeck Dissertator. Fellowship from the University of Wisconsin.{{Cite web |url=http://ls.wisc.edu/news/geography-honors-students-with-awards |title=Geography honors students with awards {{!}} College of Letters & Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison |website=ls.wisc.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15}} After her PhD, Gill served as the Voss Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University.{{Cite news |url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/cloning-woolly-mammoths-its-the-ecology-stupid/ |title=Cloning Woolly Mammoths: It's the Ecology, Stupid |last=Gill |first=Jacquelyn |work=Scientific American Blog Network |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en}}
Research
She is an Ice Age ecologist who uses natural experiments of the past to understand the impacts of climate change on the extinction and interactions of different species, communities and ecosystems.{{Cite news|url=http://sciencehackday.org/ambassador/ |title=Ambassador Program |work=Science Hack Day |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}} She is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Climate Change Institute and Biology and Ecology Department at the University of Maine. There, Gill directs the BEAST Lab for investigations on Biodiversity and Environments Across Space and Time.{{Cite news|url=https://jacquelyngill.wordpress.com/resources/ |title=Resources |date=2012-08-17 |work=BEAST LAB: ice age ecology for a greenhouse world |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}} Using sediments and fossils from lakes and bogs, she studies climate change over the past 20,000 years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.peoplebehindthescience.com/dr-jacquelyn-gill/ |title=223: Dr. Jacquelyn Gill: Using Lake Sediments to Get to the Core of Key Issues in Ecology and Conservation - People Behind the Science Podcast |website=www.peoplebehindthescience.com |language=en-US |access-date=2018-01-15 |date=2015-02-23}} She concentrates on the Quaternary Period, an era of alternating ice ages and subsequent warm spells.{{Cite web |url=https://scicom.ucsc.edu/publications/QandA/2017/gill.html |title=Jacquelyn Gill, paleobiologist |website=scicom.ucsc.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15}} Her research suggests that megaherbivores helped to make the ecosystems they live in more resistant to climate change.{{Cite book|title=Bring back the king : the new science of de-extinction |last=Helen |first=Pilcher |isbn=978-1472912282 |location=London |oclc=962057645 |date=2016-09-22}} Her research is currently focussed on the sediment cores of Jamaica, looking to develop a 10,000 year environmental record of fire, vegetation and climate.{{Cite web |url=https://experiment.com/projects/10-000-years-of-climate-and-environmental-changes-in-jamaica-a-biodiverse-tropical-island?donate=1 |title=10,000 years of climate and environmental changes in Jamaica, a biodiverse tropical island |website=Experiment - Moving Science Forward |language=en-us |access-date=2018-01-15}} She is involved with Project 23, which will reconstruct the food web learning how various species were connected for when they were not under climate stress.{{Cite news |url=http://www.geologypage.com/2017/01/researcher-examines-plants-encased-tar-pits-reconstruct-ice-age-ecosystem.html |title=Researcher examines plants encased in tar pits to reconstruct ice age ecosystem {{!}} Geology Page |last=Page |first=Geology |date=2017-01-25 |work=Geology Page |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}}
In 2019, while filming the documentary "Lost Beasts of the Ice Age" in Siberia, Gill was hospitalized for deep vein thrombosis which manifested as multiple blood clots in both her legs and lungs. Upon recovering at a hospital in Yakutsk, Russia, she returned home to her home in Maine.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/207-interview/the-last-thing-i-thought-was-i-am-not-going-to-die-here/97-edf994e0-c22d-445f-9af4-65dd1a388727 |title=For a UMaine professor, the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare |website=WCSH |date=26 September 2019 |access-date=2019-10-17}}
Public engagement
Gill regularly contributes to the public understanding of climate science and conservation.{{Cite news |url=http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/24/warming-climate-megabeast-deaths/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725003453/http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/24/warming-climate-megabeast-deaths/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 25, 2015 |title=Abruptly Warming Climate Triggered Megabeast Revolutions |date=2015-07-24 |work=Phenomena |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Citation|last=genConnect U |title=Creative Conservation Solutions; Jacquelyn Gill, University of Maine |date=2017-08-08|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Gu2WpX0Ts |access-date=2018-01-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aspenideas.org/speaker/jacquelyn-gill |title=Jacquelyn Gill {{!}} Aspen Ideas Festival |website=Aspen Ideas Festival |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15}} She is interested in STEM diversity, how scientists embrace new media and increasing disabled access at conferences.{{Cite news |url=https://play.radiopublic.com/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-60gMyW/ep/s1!c7d4b010f9b8e96dee3a1e8c57d43273b03544b2 |title=People Behind the Science Podcast - Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers – Using Lake Sediments to Get to the Core of Key Issues in Ecology and Conservation - Dr. Jacquelyn Gill – 51:39 |access-date=2018-01-15}} She is the co-host of the podcast "Warm Regards" (founded July 2016) along with meteorologist Eric Holthaus and climate journalist Andy Revkin of The New York Times.{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/warm-regards/id1127571287 |title=Warm Regards by Eric Holthaus on Apple Podcasts |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en |access-date=2018-01-15}}{{Cite news |url=https://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/a-podcast-on-climate-science-communication-pokmon-the-presidency/ |title=A Podcast on Climate Science, Communication, Pokémon, the Presidency... |last=Revkin |first=Andrew C. |work=Dot Earth Blog |date=15 July 2016 |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en}} When America pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord in 2017, Gill spoke up, “I hope that people don’t see this and think that all is lost".{{Cite news |url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2017/06/02/maine-scientists-academics-condemn-trumps-decision-on-climate-accord-see-consequences-for-state/ |title=Maine scientists, academics condemn Trump's decision on climate accord, see consequences for state |date=2017-06-02 |work=Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/01/thanks-to-trump-scientists-are-planning-to-run-for-office/514229/ |title=Thanks to Trump, Scientists Are Planning to Run for Office |last=Yong |first=Ed |work=The Atlantic |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}} She was inspired by the Women's March in protest of the election of Donald Trump to set up a March for Science, which resulted in 600 demonstrations on April 22, 2017 (Earth Day).{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-war-on-science-doesnt-just-hurt-scientists-it-hurts-everyone/2017/04/21/dd243fe0-26ba-11e7-bb9d-8cd6118e1409_story.html |title=Opinion {{!}} The 'war on science' doesn't just hurt scientists. It hurts everyone. |last=Gill |first=Jacquelyn |date=2017-04-21 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} Gill left the organizational committee because of leaders’ resistance to address inequalities in race and gender.{{Cite news |url=https://www.statnews.com/2017/03/22/science-march/ |title=Science march on Washington plagued by organizational turmoil |date=2017-03-22 |work=STAT |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/30392-march-for-science-jacquelyn-gill-diversity |title=Why the "March for Science" Is in Turmoil |work=Inverse |access-date=2018-01-15 |language=en}}
References
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Category:College of the Atlantic alumni
Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
Category:Scientists from Maine
Category:University of Maine faculty
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:American science communicators
Category:Climate communication