Lydia Jennings

Last updated
Dr.
Lydia Jennings
Born
Lydia Jennings

Santa Fe, New Mexico
Education University of Arizona (PhD)
Alma mater California State University, Monterey Bay, University of Arizona
Scientific career
Thesis Challenges in governance authority and revegetation of mining lands  (2020)
Doctoral advisor Raina Maier and Julie Neilson

Lydia L. Jennings is a Native American soil microbiologist and environmental scientist. Her research interests are soil health, environmental remediation, indigenous science, mining policy, and environmental data ownership by tribal nations. She works with organizations initiatives that support Indigenous geoscientists and the integration of geoscience with Indigenous knowledge. Her work is featured in the 2020 documentary Run to Be Visible, produced by Patagonia. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Jennings grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is a member of two indigenous tribes - the Huichol (Wixáritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme). Jennings received an associate of science in biology from Cabrillo College, and a bachelors of science in environmental science, technology and policy, with a minor in chemistry, from California State University, Monterey Bay. [2] Jennings completed her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 2020, focusing on the identification and characterization of microbial indicators as tools to evaluate mine waste reclamation, with her minor research in American Indian Policy focusing on the laws around mining on federal lands to which tribes have ancestral claims. [3]

Research career

Jennings main areas of research focus on fate, transport, and biogeochemistry of environmental pollutants, bioremediation, and environmental justice for underrepresented groups.

After completion of her undergraduate degree and before attending graduate school, Jennings worked for a couple of years studying water pollution at a field station in Big Sur in California. It was at this time Jennings began thinking about using her science skills to serve the places she was from, especially for topics such as environmental issues caused by mining. [4] Her current work focuses on identifying soil health biogeochemical indicators of soil reclamation, in order to make modern mining reclamation more effective and cost efficient, while also tracking how policy has placed many mines on/or bordering tribal nations and extraction on public lands. [5]

Jennings has been part of the Indigenous Food Knowledges Network (IFKN) and in June 2019 went to Alaska to visit the Chickaloon Village to learn about food and land systems. [6] Jennings credits her involvement with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) in graduate school for helping develop her research skills and to envision ways to honor Indigenous data sources and contributions, connecting the geosciences with cultural identity. [7]

In addition to her international conference presentations on topics such as Biogeophysical Soil Constituents Associated with Revegetation Success of Reclaimed Mine Tailings in Southern Arizona, [8] Jennings has presented on Indigenous data governance and Indigenous-led collaborations across biomes. [9] [10] Jennings utilized her time as an American Geophysical Union Voices of Science advocate "to increase visibility of Indigenous scientists, and how we are not just the “subject” of scientific inquiry, but rather, are continuing our traditions of scientific practices held within cultural and environmental knowledge." [11]

When her May 2020 graduate education was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennings decided to run 50 miles in honor of the Indigenous scientists and knowledge keepers who came before her. Her run was recorded and produced as a 19-minute documentary titled Run to Be Visible and released on Patagonia's YouTube channel as part of their "Run to" series. [12]

Jennings is often accompanied by her fieldwork assistant, a blue heeler named Salchicha whom she adopted in 2019. [13]

Awards and honors

Jennings is the recipient of multiple institutional and national honors, including:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lignite</span> Soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock

Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat content. When removed from the ground, it contains a very high amount of moisture, which partially explains its low carbon content. Lignite is mined all around the world and is used almost exclusively as a fuel for steam-electric power generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountaintop removal mining</span> Type of surface mining

Mountaintop removal mining (MTR), also known as mountaintop mining (MTM), is a form of surface mining at the summit or summit ridge of a mountain. Coal seams are extracted from a mountain by removing the land, or overburden, above the seams. This process is considered to be safer compared to underground mining because the coal seams are accessed from above instead of underground. In the United States, this method of coal mining is conducted in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. Explosives are used to remove up to 400 vertical feet of mountain to expose underlying coal seams. Excess rock and soil is dumped into nearby valleys, in what are called "holler fills" or "valley fills".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surface mining</span> Type of mining in which the soil/rock above mineral deposits is removed

Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in which the overlying rock is left in place, and the mineral is removed through shafts or tunnels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tar Creek Superfund site</span>

Tar Creek Superfund site is a United States Superfund site, declared in 1983, located in the cities of Picher, Douthat and Cardin, Ottawa County, in northeastern Oklahoma. From 1900 to the 1960s lead mining and zinc mining companies left behind huge open chat piles that were heavily contaminated by these metals, cadmium, and others. Metals from the mining waste leached into the soil, and seeped into groundwater, ponds, and lakes. Because of the contamination, Picher children have suffered elevated lead, zinc and manganese levels, resulting in learning disabilities and a variety of other health problems. The EPA declared Picher to be one of the most toxic areas in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Rock uranium mill spill</span> Radioactive spill in New Mexico on July 16, 1979

The Church Rock uranium mill spill occurred in the U.S. state of New Mexico on July 16, 1979, when United Nuclear Corporation's tailings disposal pond at its uranium mill in Church Rock breached its dam. The accident remains the largest release of radioactive material in U.S. history, having released more radioactivity than the Three Mile Island accident four months earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental effects of mining</span> Environmental problems from uncontrolled mining

Environmental effects of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. Mining can cause erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by chemicals emitted from mining processes. These processes also affect the atmosphere through carbon emissions which contributes to climate change.

Mining in the United States has been active since the beginning of colonial times, but became a major industry in the 19th century with a number of new mineral discoveries causing a series of mining rushes. In 2015, the value of coal, metals, and industrial minerals mined in the United States was US$109.6 billion. 158,000 workers were directly employed by the mining industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium mining and the Navajo people</span> Effects of uranium mining on Navajo

The relationship between Uranium mining and the Navajo people began in 1944 in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antje Boetius</span> German biologist (born 1967)

Antje Boetius is a German marine biologist. She is a professor of geomicrobiology at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, University of Bremen. Boetius received the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize in March 2009 for her study of sea bed microorganisms that affect the global climate. She is also the director of Germany's polar research hub, the Alfred Wegener Institute.

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association with the goal of substantially increasing American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, First Nation and other indigenous peoples of North America representation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and other related disciplines. Its headquarters is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As of May 1, 2013, Sarah EchoHawk is the Chief Executive Officer.

Victoria J. Orphan is a geobiologist at the California Institute of Technology who studies the interactions between marine microorganisms and their environment. As of 2020, she is the Chair for the Center of Environmental Microbial Interactions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental issues in Appalachia</span>

Environmental issues in Appalachia, a cultural region in the Eastern United States, include long term and ongoing environmental impact from human activity, and specific incidents of environmental harm such as environmental disasters related to mining. A mountainous area with significant coal deposits, many environmental issues in the region are related to coal and gas extraction. Some extraction practices, particularly surface mining, have met significant resistance locally and at times have received international attention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erika Marín-Spiotta</span> Biogeochemist and ecosystem ecologist.

Erika Marín-Spiotta is a biogeochemist and ecosystem ecologist. She is currently Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is best-known for her research of the terrestrial carbon cycle and is an advocate for underrepresented groups in the sciences, specifically women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estella Atekwana</span> American geophysicist

Estella Atekwana is a geophysicist studying biogeophysics and tectonophysics. She is currently Dean of the College of Letters and Science at University of California, Davis. She previously served as Dean of the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment at the University of Delaware. She is also an adjunct professor at both the University of Waterloo and the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Before joining the University of Delaware in 2017, she was the Department Head of the Boone Pickens School of Geology at Oklahoma State University. She is a Regents Distinguished Professor and a Clyde Wheeler Sun Endowed Chair at Oklahoma State University, where she maintains an adjunct appointment. Atekwana has also been a faculty member at Missouri University of Science & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Western Michigan University. Atekwana has been a part of helping write many journals and has earned many awards and honors throughout her career.

Kristen M. DeAngelis is a professor in the department of Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts where she studies soil microbes in relation to climate change.

Karletta Chief is a Diné hydrologist, best known for her work to address environmental pollution on the Navajo Nation and increase the participation of Native Americans in STEM. She is a professor at the University of Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apache Nitrogen Products</span> American explosives manufacturer in Arizona

Apache Nitrogen Products began in 1920 as an American manufacturer of black powder based explosives. In the 1930's production transitioned to nitroglycerin-based explosives (dynamite) for the mining industry and other regional users of dynamite. The company changed its name to Apache Nitrogen Products in 1990 to reflect the shift away from Nitroglycerine dynamite to prilled Ammonium Nitrate for the mining industry, and by-products for the fertilizer industry. It occupies a historic location in Cochise County, Arizona and is one of its largest employers.

Susan Sharpless Hubbard is an American hydrologist and geophysicist, and Hubbard is the Deputy for Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2020 for contributions to hydrogeophysics, biogeophysics, and the geophysics of permafrost.

Nancy Collins Johnson is an American earth scientist who is the Regents’ Professor and Director of the School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability at Northern Arizona University. Her work considers soil microbial ecology and the study of mycorrhizal fungi. She was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Mary DeBruyn</span> American researcher

Jennifer DeBruyn is a professor in Biosystems Engineering and Soil Sciences at the University of Tennessee. She is known for her work on biodegradation of agricultural plastics and vertebrate animals in natural systems.

References

  1. ↑ "UArizona Postdoc's 50-Mile Run for Indigenous Scientists Featured in Patagonia Film". University of Arizona News. 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  2. ↑ VanguardSTEM (2018-04-25). "#WCWinSTEM: Lydia Jennings, B.S." Medium. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  3. ↑ "Lydia Jennings". Department of Environmental Science. 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  4. ↑ "Desert trails and microbial life excite this soil scientist". Science News for Students. 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  5. ↑ Hanlon, Shane (2019-11-25). "Special Release: Tribes, Trails, & Tailings". Third Pod from the Sun [podcast]. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  6. ↑ "Indigenous Food Knowledges Network shows connections between the Southwest and the Arctic". IFKN. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  7. ↑ "The Geological Society of London - Amplified Voices: How identity shapes our scientific experience". www.geolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  8. ↑ Jennings, L. L.; Ossanna, L. Q. R.; Theilmann, M. L.; Fontana, C. G.; Neilson, J. W.; Maier, R. M. (2019). "Biogeophysical Soil Constituents Associated with Revegetation Success of Reclaimed Mine Tailings in Southern Arizona". AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. 2019: B21F–2381. Bibcode:2019AGUFM.B21F2381J.
  9. ↑ Jennings, L. L.; David-Chavez, D. M.; Martinez, A.; Lone Bear Rodriguez, D.; Rainie, S. (2018). "Indigenous Data Sovereignty: How Scientists and Researchers Can Empower Indigenous Data Governance". AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. 2018: PA43C–1376. Bibcode:2018AGUFMPA43C1376J.
  10. ↑ Jennings, L. L.; Jäger, M. B.; Johnson, N.; Rainie, S. (2019). "The Indigenous Food Knowledges Network: Building Indigenous Led Collaborations across Biomes". AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. 2019: PA54A–05. Bibcode:2019AGUFMPA54A..05J.
  11. ↑ "AGU is Recognizes Lydia Jennings and Dr. Aditi Sengupta's Outstanding Work! | Superfund". www.superfund.arizona.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  12. ↑ Dutch, Taylor (2021-10-25). "This Scholar Ran 50 Miles on the Arizona Trail, Dedicating Each Mile to a Different Indigenous Scientist". Runner's World. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  13. ↑ Wilke, Carolyn (2020-03-31). "Desert trails and microbial life excite this soil scientist". Science News Explores. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  14. ↑ "Trainee Lydia Jennings Receives NSF Fellowship | Superfund". superfund.arizona.edu. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  15. ↑ "'Rising Leader' Award-Winner Lydia Jennings Honored at 2018 AISES Leadership Summit | Superfund". www.superfund.arizona.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  16. ↑ "Voices for Science Comms Track: Previous Cohorts". The Plainspoken Scientist. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  17. ↑ "Meet the New Indigenous Data Sovereignty Fellows and Scholars". Native Nations Institute. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  18. ↑ "Lydia Jennings | SWCASC". www.swcasc.arizona.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.