M Jackson facts for kids

M Jackson is an American geographer and glaciologist. She is also an explorer for the National Geographic Society. She has written popular books like While Glaciers Slept and The Secret Lives of Glaciers. Her book The Ice Sings Back is a novel. In 2018, she became a TED Fellow.

Early Life and Learning

M Jackson studied at Western Washington University for her first degree. Then, she went to the University of Montana. She earned a Master of Science degree there in 2011. After that, she studied at the University of Oregon. She earned a doctorate in geography and glaciology.

She worked in The Glacier Lab with her supervisor, Mark Carey. They suggested a new way to study glaciers. This idea focused on who researches glaciers and whose voices are not heard. Her main project for her doctorate was about how glaciers were changing in Southeast Iceland. She finished this work in 2017.

Jackson has been a Fulbright Fellow three times. This allowed her to do research in Turkey and Iceland. For one project in Höfn, Iceland, she studied how climate change affected communities near glaciers. While working on her doctorate, she became a National Geographic Explorer. She has also worked in Zambia with the Peace Corps.

Her Work and Expeditions

Jackson has given many TED talks. She is well known for her 2017 talk called "Glaciers, Gender and Science". Jackson has often talked about the challenges she faced as a female scientist. She is an expert on the Arctic and an Emerging Explorer for the National Geographic Society. She has led trips across the Arctic region. She often visits glaciers all over the world.

She is currently working on a project called InTangible Ice. This project lasts several years. It looks at how melting glaciers affect people and places. She works with other National Geographic Explorers, filmmakers, and scientists on this project. In 2018, she was named a TED Fellow. This was for her work showing how people and glaciers are connected. In December 2022, Jackson started hosting a series on Crash Course. It has 12 episodes about climate change and how we produce energy.

While Glaciers Slept Book

Jackson's first book, While Glaciers Slept, came out in June 2015. It talks about how the Earth is being harmed by climate change. It compares this to a family dealing with the loss of their parents. The book mixes personal stories with science and exploration. Many people liked the book. The famous writer Bill McKibben wrote the introduction for it. Jackson has given many talks about this book and her exploration work.

The Secret Lives of Glaciers Book

In 2019, Jackson's second book, The Secret Lives of Glaciers, was published. This book explores what happens when glaciers in a community slowly disappear. Jackson shares detailed stories of people and glaciers in southeastern Iceland. She looks at the history of glacier science and the first program to watch glaciers. She also writes about how glaciers affect local society. Some people in the community believe glaciers are alive. The book discusses the mixed effects of fast glacier changes on the culture of the area. Critics have praised this book.

The Ice Sings Back Book

The Ice Sings Back was published in 2023. It is a novel set in the Cascade Range in Oregon. The story follows how a missing girl affects the lives of four women. People have called it an "eco-thriller."