Humans of CIRES: Jesse Rush
PhD student, peatland scientist, and Zumba teacher
Spotlight
Jesse Rush is a PhD student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO) studying carbon cycling in northern peatland ecosystems — and she is also the lead graduate student representative for the CIRES Early-Career Assembly (CECA). She has worked on multiple long-term global change projects, including a water-table manipulation experiment in Alaska and a warming and carbon dioxide treatment experiment in a bog site. Rush loves to read anything Becky Chambers, who writes “amazing cozy science fiction.” And she teaches Zumba at the CU Boulder Rec Center.
Jesse Rush wears Shrek ears while doing fieldwork in Alaska — "because Shrek loves swamps."
Humans of CIRES Q&A
What are you studying at CIRES?
I study how climate change is affecting carbon cycling in northern peatland ecosystems.
What are you most passionate about professionally?
I'm passionate about leveraging long-term global change experiments. I've been fortunate enough to work at APEX, a long-term water-table manipulation experiment in an Alaskan fen, and SPRUCE, a bog site undergoing elevated warming and elevated carbon dioxide treatments.
What book could you read over and over again?
Anything by Becky Chambers! She writes amazing "cozy" science fiction books but my favorite is "A Psalm for the Wild Built".
Tell us about a hobby of yours.
I teach Zumba at the rec center here on Main Campus! Come join!
