Through the connections of her mentor, Dr. Druckenbrod, Jessica spent a summer working with the famous Penn State University Meteorology Department where she earned a stipend as an undergraduate research assistant.
Why Jessica chose Rider
A lifelong interest in weather and climate change led Jessica to apply to Rider. During Admitted Student Day, she met professors in the Geological, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (GEMS) program. “I liked what I heard. Everyone seemed genuine,” she says. “I could see that Rider was a school where professors would get to know me and provide individual attention. I could see that they would motivate me and help me succeed."
Had I gone to another school, I wouldn’t have received half the opportunities that Rider provided. It opened doors.
Environmental Specialist, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Rider's impact on Jessica's success
Jessica was invited to participate in the Freshman Science Honors Program. She would later spend four years with Dr. Daniel Druckenbrod in the study of dendrochronology, or tree rings. Her work involved spending time in the field, traveling as far south as Virginia to collect samples and make observations, then taking the data back to the lab at Rider to analyze. She also presented findings at a national conference. “My work with Dr. Druckenbrod gave me invaluable hands-on experience and showed me a career path,” she says.
Continued success
After graduation, Jessica attended the University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. There she worked as a fully funded teaching and research assistant with much of her work focused on atmospheric chemistry and how atmospheric pollutants interact and exchange with the biosphere. Her projects involved using a forest research tower and drones to take meteorological and air pollutant measurements.
“I love doing all parts of the research — the collecting, analyzing and organizing the data and drawing conclusions — and communicating those findings to others, which is key. I learned all of that at Rider.”