Jessica received her Ph.D. from the University of California Santa Cruz in high pressure mineral physics. Jessica changed her focus to volcanology after moving to UAF in 1997. She has worked for the Alaska Volcano Observatory since then, focusing on geological mapping, stratigraphy, hazard assessments, petrology, and geochemistry studies of active volcanoes in Alaska and around the world. Jessica oversees the UAF Experimental Petrology Lab, conducting research to constrain crustal magma storage and ascent rate dynamics with graduate and undergraduate students. Courses taught by Jessica focus on Geological Hazards (GEOS 380) and Volcanology (GEOS 120, 406, and 670).