Jess is an environmental social scientist whose work focuses on understanding people’s vulnerability to climate change. She has taught across a range of interdisciplinary courses addressing major global challenges, including poverty and inequality, and threats to food and water security, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), Gender Mainstreaming, and Climate Change and Disaster Resilience (CC&DR).
She holds a PhD from The University of Queensland (UQ), which examined how broader social, political, and environmental contexts shape vulnerability to climate change.