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Scientific Staff

Jessica Turner-Skoff, PhD

Science Communication Leader

Content Detail

As the Arboretum’s first ‘Science Communication Leader,’ Jessica shares expertise with multiple stakeholders.

Jessica spent her doctorate studying plants in the heart of Appalachia and the wilds of the Alaskan tundra, cultivating her passion for telling the story of plants and science. Throughout her professional career, she has developed science communication and environmental workshops for all ages, published scientific papers and popular press articles, and presented at national and international conferences.

  • 2020, Emerging Horticultural Professional Award, American Horticultural Society
  • 2020, Plants, People, Planet Symposium Best Poster Award
  • 2018-19, Top downloaded paper in Plants, People, Planet Symposium
  • While working toward her doctorate (for the three years she was eligible), Jessica received ‘The Most Productive Biology Graduate Student Award’ at West Virginia University and the competitive Phipps Conservatory Botany in Action Fellowship.

Education

PhD, Biology

West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV

MS, Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development

University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD

BS, Conservation Science

Muskingum University
New Concord, OH