M Jackson facts for kids

M Jackson is an American geographer and glaciologist. She is also a National Geographic Society Explorer. She writes popular science books like "The Ice Sings Back", The Secret Lives of Glaciers, and While Glaciers Slept. M Jackson was named a TED Fellow in 2018.

Early Life and Education

M Jackson studied at Western Washington University for her first degree. She then earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Montana in 2011. Later, she completed her doctorate in geography and glaciology at the University of Oregon.

While at the University of Oregon, she worked with Professor Mark Carey. They suggested a new way to study glaciers, called "feminist glaciology." This idea aimed to start discussions about who researches glaciers and whose voices are often not heard. In 2017, she finished her main research project, which was about how glaciers were changing in Southeast Iceland.

Jackson has been a Fulbright Fellow three times. She did research in Turkey and Iceland. During her second Fulbright project, she lived in Höfn, Iceland. There, she studied how climate change was affecting communities near glaciers. While working on her PhD, she also became a National Geographic Explorer. She has also served in the Peace Corps in Zambia.

Career and Explorations

Jackson has given several TED talks. Her most famous one, from 2017, is called "Glaciers, Gender and Science." She has often spoken about the challenges she faced as a female scientist.

M Jackson is an expert on the Arctic region. She is also an Emerging Explorer for the National Geographic Society. She has led many trips across the Arctic. She regularly visits glaciers all over the world to study them.

She is currently working on a project called InTangible Ice. This project looks at how glaciers melting affects both the environment and people. For this project, she works with National Geographic Explorers, filmmakers, and scientists. In 2018, she became a TED Fellow. This was for her work showing how people and glaciers are connected. In December 2022, Jackson started hosting a 12-episode series. This series is on Crash Course and covers climate change and how we produce energy.

Books by M Jackson

While Glaciers Slept

Jackson's first book, While Glaciers Slept, was published in June 2015. It talks about how the destruction of our planet from climate change is similar to a family dealing with losing their parents. The book mixes personal stories with scientific exploration. Critics liked the book. The famous environmentalist Bill McKibben wrote the introduction for it. Jackson has given many talks about this book and her exploration work.

The Secret Lives of Glaciers

In 2019, Jackson's second book, The Secret Lives of Glaciers, came out. This book explores what happens when glaciers in a community slowly disappear. Jackson shares detailed stories about people and glaciers along the coast of southeastern Iceland. She looks at the history of glacier science and the world's first glacier monitoring program. The book also discusses how glaciers affect local society. Some people in the community even believe glaciers are alive. Jackson explores the complex ways that fast glacier changes impact the culture of the region. This book has also received good reviews from critics.

The Ice Sings Back

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