Jessica Oster
Faculty Head
Stambaugh House
Jessica Oster (she, her, hers) is a professor in the department of Earth and environmental sciences. Her research involves understanding climate change in Earth鈥檚 past as it is recorded in the chemistry of mineral deposits from caves.聽 Jessica investigates questions about rainfall variability and fire activity through caves in California and Wyoming and on the island of Cura莽ao in the southern Caribbean. Jessica has experience mentoring students from the high school through the graduate level and currently serves as director of graduate studies in her department.
Jessica grew up in Kentucky where she first fell in love with caves. She earned her B.A. at Oberlin College and her PhD from the University of California, Davis. Jessica, her husband Neil Kelley (also on the faculty in Earth and environmental sciences), their children Juniper and Roscoe, and their dog Dewey are excited to build community and engage in new learning with the residents of Stambaugh each year.