Jess Phoenix

Last updated
Jess Phoenix
Jess Phoenix at Yellowstone caldera, 2018.jpg
Jess Phoenix at Yellowstone caldera in 2018
Other namesJess Peláez
Education Smith College
California State University
Occupation(s)Volcanologist
Writer
TV personality

Jess Phoenix (born 1982) [1] [2] is an American volcanologist, writer and multimedia personality. She is the Science Ambassador of the Union of Concerned Scientists. She ran as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. She is the co-host of the Discovery series Hunting Atlantis and the author of Ms. Adventure. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Phoenix grew up in Colorado, United States, with two parents who are FBI agents. [4] She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Smith College and a master's degree in geology from California State University, Los Angeles, with a thesis titled Lava Flow Morphologies and Structural Features Along the Axis of the South Rift Zone of Loihi Seamount, Hawaii. [5] [4] Phoenix later enrolled in a PhD program with the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences [6] at Queensland University of Technology in Australia studying Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental range, [7] but withdrew after falling out with her PhD advisor. [1] [4]

Books

Phoenix has written a memoir titled Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life [8] published by Timber Press, a division of Workman Publishing Group, 2021. [9] [10] The book was nominated as a finalist for the 2022 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the category of Young Adult Science. [11]

Media

Phoenix has appeared in the Discovery series Trailblazers in 2016, [12] Devil Sharks in 2017, [4] [13] and Science Channel's series What on Earth? in 2015. [14] In 2021 she was a co-host with Stel Pavlou of the Discovery series Hunting Atlantis. [15] Hunting Atlantis has been criticized by scientists from the archaeology, anthropology, and history communities for pseudoscience and misrepresenting history and archaeology for entertainment purposes. [16]

Political career

Phoenix was a candidate in the 2018 election to represent California in the US House of Representatives [2] in the 25th Congressional District in California. She lost in the Democratic primary on June 5, 2018, finishing in fourth place with 6.4% of the vote. [17] [1]

Personal life

Phoenix is married to Carlos Peláez. They both changed their last names to Phoenix in 2012. [4] Together they founded Blueprint Earth, [18] a volunteer-based non-profit focused on cataloging the ecosystem in one square kilometer of the Mojave Desert. [1] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seamount</span> Mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the waters surface

A seamount is a large submarine landform that rises from the ocean floor without reaching the water surface, and thus is not an island, islet, or cliff-rock. Seamounts are typically formed from extinct volcanoes that rise abruptly and are usually found rising from the seafloor to 1,000–4,000 m (3,300–13,100 ft) in height. They are defined by oceanographers as independent features that rise to at least 1,000 m (3,281 ft) above the seafloor, characteristically of conical form. The peaks are often found hundreds to thousands of meters below the surface, and are therefore considered to be within the deep sea. During their evolution over geologic time, the largest seamounts may reach the sea surface where wave action erodes the summit to form a flat surface. After they have subsided and sunk below the sea surface, such flat-top seamounts are called "guyots" or "tablemounts".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcanologist</span> Scientist who studies volcanoes

A volcanologist, or volcano scientist, is a geologist who focuses on understanding the formation and eruptive activity of volcanoes. Volcanologists frequently visit volcanoes, sometimes active ones, to observe and monitor volcanic eruptions, collect eruptive products including tephra, rock and lava samples. One major focus of inquiry in recent times is the prediction of eruptions to alleviate the impact on surrounding populations and monitor natural hazards associated with volcanic activity. Geologists who research volcanic materials that make up the solid Earth are referred to as igneous petrologists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shield volcano</span> Low-profile volcano usually formed almost entirely of fluid lava flows

A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava erupted from a stratovolcano. Repeated eruptions result in the steady accumulation of broad sheets of lava, building up the shield volcano's distinctive form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamaʻehuakanaloa Seamount</span> Active submarine volcano off the southeast coast of the island of Hawaii

Kamaʻehuakanaloa Seamount is an active submarine volcano about 22 mi (35 km) off the southeast coast of the island of Hawaii. The top of the seamount is about 3,200 ft (975 m) below sea level. This seamount is on the flank of Mauna Loa, the largest active subaerial shield volcano on Earth. Kamaʻehuakanaloa is the newest volcano in the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain, a string of volcanoes that stretches about 3,900 mi (6,200 km) northwest of Kamaʻehuakanaloa. Unlike most active volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean that make up the active plate margins on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Kamaʻehuakanaloa and the other volcanoes of the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain are hotspot volcanoes and formed well away from the nearest plate boundary. Volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands arise from the Hawaii hotspot, and as the youngest volcano in the chain, Kamaʻehuakanaloa is the only Hawaiian volcano in the deep submarine preshield stage of development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain</span> Pacific Ocean geologic feature

The Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain is a mostly undersea mountain range in the Pacific Ocean that reaches above sea level in Hawaii. It is composed of the Hawaiian ridge, consisting of the islands of the Hawaiian chain northwest to Kure Atoll, and the Emperor Seamounts: together they form a vast underwater mountain region of islands and intervening seamounts, atolls, shallows, banks and reefs along a line trending southeast to northwest beneath the northern Pacific Ocean. The seamount chain, containing over 80 identified undersea volcanoes, stretches about 6,200 km (3,900 mi) from the Aleutian Trench off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula in the far northwest Pacific to the Kamaʻehuakanaloa Seamount, the youngest volcano in the chain, which lies about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southeast of the Island of Hawaiʻi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes</span> Processes of growth and erosion of the volcanoes of the Hawaiian islands

The evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes occurs in several stages of growth and decline. The fifteen volcanoes that make up the eight principal islands of Hawaii are the youngest in a chain of more than 129 volcanoes that stretch 5,800 kilometers (3,600 mi) across the North Pacific Ocean, called the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain. Hawaiʻi's volcanoes rise an average of 4,600 meters (15,000 ft) to reach sea level from their base. The largest, Mauna Loa, is 4,169 meters (13,678 ft) high. As shield volcanoes, they are built by accumulated lava flows, growing a few meters or feet at a time to form a broad and gently sloping shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Madre Occidental</span> Mountain range along the Pacific coast of Mexico

The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through northwestern and western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consist of an almost continuous sequence that form the western "sounds" of North America, Central America, South America, and West Antarctica.

<i>The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D</i> 2005 film by Robert Rodriguez

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D is a 2005 American 3D superhero adventure film co-written and directed by Robert Rodriguez and originally released in the United States on June 10, 2005, by Miramax Films and Dimension Films. The production companies were Dimension Films, Columbia Pictures, and Troublemaker Studios. The film uses the anaglyph 3D technology, similar to the one used in Rodriguez's Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003). The film stars Taylor Lautner, Taylor Dooley, Cayden Boyd, David Arquette, Kristin Davis and George Lopez. Many of the concepts and much of the story were conceived by Rodriguez's children, most notably Racer Max.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Shark (Marvel Comics)</span> Comic book character

Tiger Shark is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, the character first appeared in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #5. Todd Arliss is a recurring antagonist of the antihero Namor. His powers come from both the DNA of Namor and shark DNA. He is also known under the codename Tiger Shark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan de Fuca Ridge</span> Divergent plate boundary off the coast of the Pacific Northwest region of North America

The Juan de Fuca Ridge is a mid-ocean spreading center and divergent plate boundary located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest region of North America, named after Juan de Fuca. The ridge separates the Pacific Plate to the west and the Juan de Fuca Plate to the east. It runs generally northward, with a length of approximately 500 kilometres (310 mi). The ridge is a section of what remains from the larger Pacific-Farallon Ridge which used to be the primary spreading center of this region, driving the Farallon Plate underneath the North American Plate through the process of plate tectonics. Today, the Juan de Fuca Ridge pushes the Juan de Fuca Plate underneath the North American plate, forming the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Types of volcanic eruptions</span>

Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which material is expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior has been observed. Some volcanoes may exhibit only one characteristic type of eruption during a period of activity, while others may display an entire sequence of types all in one eruptive series.

<i>Journey to the Center of the Earth</i> (2008 theatrical film) 2008 American film

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a 2008 American 3D science fantasy action-adventure film directed by Eric Brevig and starring Brendan Fraser in the main role, Josh Hutcherson, and Anita Briem. Produced by Walden Media, it is an adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 novel and was released in 3D theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures through their New Line Cinema division on July 11, 2008. It tells the story of a volcanologist and his nephew who embark on a mission to go look for his missing brother with help from an Icelandic guide as they come across the center of the Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaii hotspot</span> Volcanic hotspot near the Hawaiian Islands, in the Pacific Ocean

The Hawaiʻi hotspot is a volcanic hotspot located near the namesake Hawaiian Islands, in the northern Pacific Ocean. One of the best known and intensively studied hotspots in the world, the Hawaii plume is responsible for the creation of the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain, a 6,200-kilometer (3,900 mi) mostly undersea volcanic mountain range. Four of these volcanoes are active, two are dormant; more than 123 are extinct, most now preserved as atolls or seamounts. The chain extends from south of the island of Hawaiʻi to the edge of the Aleutian Trench, near the eastern coast of Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davidson Seamount</span> Underwater volcano near California

Davidson Seamount is a seamount located off the coast of Central California, 80 mi (129 km) southwest of Monterey and 75 mi (121 km) west of San Simeon. At 26 mi (42 km) long and 8 mi (13 km) wide, it is one of the largest known seamounts in the world. From base to crest, the seamount is 7,480 ft (2,280 m) tall, yet its summit is still 4,101 ft (1,250 m) below the sea surface. The seamount is biologically diverse, with 237 species and 27 types of deep-sea coral having been identified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syfy (Russian TV channel)</span> Television channel

Syfy was a Russian pay television channel service specialising in science fiction, fantasy and horror shows and movies. The channel launched on May 30, 2008. It was available on cable and satellite television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Brooks Slaughter</span> American electrical engineer (1934–2023)

John Brooks Slaughter was an American electrical engineer and college president who served as the first African-American director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). His work focused on the development of computer algorithms for system optimization and discrete signal processing.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katrina Edwards</span> American geomicrobiologist

Katrina Jane Edwards was a pioneering geomicrobiologist known for her studies of organisms living below the ocean floor, specifically exploring the interactions between the microbes and their geological surroundings, and how global processes were influenced by these interactions. She spearheaded the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigation (C-DEBI) project at the University of Southern California, which is ongoing. Edwards also helped organize the deep biosphere research community by heading the Fe-Oxidizing Microbial Observatory Project on Loihi Seamount, and serving on several program steering committees involving ocean drilling. Edwards taught at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and later became a professor at the University of Southern California.[1][2]

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jess French</span> British television personality, veterinarian and author

Jess French is a British television personality, veterinarian and author. She is the presenter of a television programme called Minibeast Adventure with Jess which has aired on CBeebies. French is also a best-selling children's author and a regular contributor to science and literary festivals such as Hay Festival, Edinburgh festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Bath Festival of Children's Literature and Norwich Science Festival and printed press such as The Guardian, BBC Wildlife, The Week.

Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert is a geomicrobiologist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mervis, Jeffrey (15 June 2018). "The science candidates: Jess Phoenix says her defeat shows how much in politics needs to change". Science. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  2. 1 2 Astor, Maggie (2018-05-30). "Meet Jess Phoenix, the Volcanologist Running for Congress in California". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  3. Hunting Atlantis (Fantasy, Reality-TV), Revelations Entertainment, 2021-07-21, retrieved 2021-09-26
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Derouin, Sarah (December 11, 2017). "Down to Earth With: Volcanologist Jess Phoenix". Earth Magazine. American Geosciences Institute . Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  5. Deemer, J.L., 2010. Lava Flow Morphologies and Structural Features Along the Axis of the South Rift Zone of Loihi Seamount, Hawaii. Los Angeles: California State University Press.
  6. Technology (QUT), Queensland University of. "School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences". QUT.
  7. Bryan, Scott; Ferrari, Luca; Ramos-Rosique, Aldo; Allen, Charlotte; Martinez-Lopez, Margarita; Orozco-Esquivel, Teresa; Pelaez, Jessica (2011). "Consequences of extensional tectonics on volcanic eruption style, compositions and source regions : new insights from the southern Sierra Madre Occidental and Gulf of California regions, western Mexico". 25 IUGG General Assembly: 1–2. Archived from the original on 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  8. "Ms. Adventure". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  9. "Gardening, Horticulture, and Natural history". 6 January 2023.
  10. "Ms. Adventure". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  11. "Finalists for 2022 Young Adult Science Book Award". 18 November 2021.
  12. Trailblazers (Adventure), October Films, 2016-04-29, retrieved 2022-11-25
  13. Devil Sharks, Shark Week, 2017-07-26, retrieved 2021-09-26
  14. What on Earth? (Documentary), Wag TV, 2015-02-02, retrieved 2021-09-26
  15. Hunting Atlantis (TV Series 2021– ) - IMDb , retrieved 2022-11-25
  16. Moss, Candida (2021-09-12). "Atlantis, Which No Serious Historian Thinks Existed, Is Making People Insane on Twitter". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  17. "Jess Phoenix". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  18. Totten, Sanden (4 May 2016). "Desert in a Box". Heat of the Moment. WBEZ Chicago.