Science and Education Consultant
About Jenny
Biographical Sketch
Dr Jenny Baeseman began her love of the cold growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, USA. She has a BSc in Water Chemistry from the University of WI - Stevens Point, an MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota, a PhD also in Civil Engineering with an environmental emphasis from the University of Colorado, and postdoctoral training in Geosciences from Princeton University. She has spent four seasons in Antarctica, three in the McMurdo Dry Valleys and one on the peninsula. She has held several high-level international science leadership positions and continues research in her spare time through an adjunct position at the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska – Fairbanks. Currently she is looking for consulting opportunities to help facilitate international science and education projects.
Jenny was very involved in the planning of the International Polar Year (IPY 2007-2009) and, through this, co-founded and subsequently became the Founding Director of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), which grew to over 3500 members from 76 countries under her leadership. One of her main objectives in developing APECS was to help young researchers combine their interests in interdisciplinary polar science with education and outreach and gain international leadership through professional development activities.
In April 2012, she turned over the reins of the early career group to become the Director of the Climate and the Cryosphere Project (CliC), sponsored by the WCRP (World Climate Research Programme). During her tenure at CliC, she reinvigorated project after 5+-year term of low activity into a highly visible, collaborative and effective global change project with 15 shorter-term activities with defined outcomes, meaningfully involving more than 500 global cryosphere and climate scientists. She also developed the CliC Fellows program creating engaging opportunities for early career researchers.
In July 2015, she became the Executive Director of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) where she was the first woman to hold the post for the 60-year old organization, and the first non-UK resident. In the short time with SCAR, she increased the reach of SCAR communications from 500 to over 5000, lead creation of new organizational strategic plan, facilitated membership restructure to increase annual income, created and modernized administrative and office procedures for increased efficiency, enhanced internal and external communications, designed and implemented a new website including digitizing 60 years of organizational history and coordinated the “Celebrating Women in Antarctic Research” Wikibomb activity which added over 100 biographies of female Antarctic researchers to the world’s largest encyclopedia. In addition she managed the majority of SCAR’s activities within the 30+ working groups dealing with Antarctic research and capacity building, planned the SCAR Open Science Conferences and other meetings, and assisted with the creation and implementation of policy documents for the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings.
After spending almost a decade over seas managing international science organizations, Jenny decided it was time to come back to her home state of Wisconsin and put her talents to work in the US. She currently resides in Madison, WI with her husband Øystein and is looking forward to getting a dog and a kitten soon.
One of Jenny's personal goals is to make sure everyone she meets knows that polar bears don't eat penguins - as they live at different Poles.
Work Experience
- Sole Proprietor, Baeseman Consulting, Wisconsin, USA, 01/01/2018 – Present
- Affiliate Associate Research Professor, IARC, University of Alaska, 10/2007 – Present
- Executive Director, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 7/2015 – 11/2017
- Developed organizational strategic plan, modernized administrative processes and communications, facilitated major international science activities, planned several workshops and large conferences, helped to create new Antarctic science policy, designed and developed new website, increased organizational reach ten-fold, organized effort to create over 100 biographies of female scientists on Wikipedia, increased funding, created new career development opportunities and initiated plans for 60 year anniversary of the organization.
- Summary of achievements
- Director, WCRP Climate and the Cryosphere Project, 4/2012 – 9/2015
- Reinvigorated project after 5+ year term of low activity into highly visible, collaborative and effective global change project with 15 shorter-term activities with defined outcomes, meaningfully involving more than 500 global cryosphere and climate scientists
- Developed CliC Fellows program creating engaging opportunities for early career researchers
- Founding Director, Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), 8/2006 – 4/2012
- Co-founded organization and established funded International Office in Tromsø, Norway (2009)
- Registered APECS as a non-profit organization
- Recruited 3500 members from 76 countries at the end of term in of 30 March 2012
- Interim Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Coordinator, University of Colorado, 8 – 11/2008
- Program Development Coordinator, Arctic Research Consortium of the US, 9/2007 – 7/2008
- Assistant Professor of Microbial Ecology, Kent State University, 8/2006 – 8/2007
- NSF Microbial Biology Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University, 9/2004–8/2006
- Investigating nitrogen cycling dynamics in the Ice-free McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
- Working with K-12 schools to develop inquiry-based science curriculum
- Research and Teaching Assistant,University of Colorado, 9/2001–8/2004
- Physical Science Technician, US Geological Survey, 9/2000–8/2002
- Coordinator for NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates,Environmental Engineering Program, University of Colorado, 4-9/2002
- Research/Teaching Assistant, Civil Engineering Dept., University of Minnesota, 9/98–9/2000
- Water and Wastewater Treatment, Environmental Issues & Solutions, Water Chemistry
- Mercury Laboratory Research Technician, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Summer 1998
- Research Technician, University of Colorado, Summer 1997
- Worked on virus and pollutant transport at USGS Otis Research Site in Cape Cod, MA
- Research Assistant and Instructor, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, 1996–1998
Surveying Anderson Creek in Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Selected Awards and Honors
- Wikipedia Biography accepted as part of Celebrating Women in Antarctic Research – 2016
- UW-Stevens Point Distinguished Alumni, College of Natural Resources - 2011
- UW-Stevens Point Commencement Speaker – 2009
- ICSU 75th Anniversary Young Researcher Symposium, Invited Participant – 2007
- Who’s Who in Science and Engineering – 2007
- Who’s Who in America – 2006, 2007, 2008
- Editor’s Excellence in Review Citation, JGR Biogeosciences – 2006
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Alumni Association Board of Directors – 2005 to 2013
- NSF Microbial Biology Postdoctoral Fellowship – 2004
- Master’s Thesis Award, 2nd Place, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors /Montgomery Watson Harza – 2001
- University of Colorado Beverly Sears Graduate Research Award – Fall 2001
- UW-Stevens Point Chancellor’s Leadership Award – 1998
- UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources Scholarship – 1998
- Sigma Xi Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award – 1997
- Who’s Who Among American College Students – 1997 and 1998
- Dr. Richard Frie Memorial Scholarship – 1997
- 2nd Place Student Paper Competition – National American Water Resources Association - 1996
- Salmon Unlimited Scholarship – 1996, 1997, and 1998
- UW-Stevens Point Chancellor’s Leadership Award - 1998
- UW-Stevens Point University Leadership Award – 1996 and 1997
- UW-Stevens Point Chapter of American Water Resources Association, Student of the Year – 1995
2009 UW-Stevens Point Commencement Speaker. 2011 UW-Stevens Point Distinguished Alumni.
Highlights of Service, Outreach and Related Activities
- Edgerton Community Outreach, Board Member and Secretary
- Dane County, WI Election Official, 2018 - to present
- Founding Board Member, Science Diplomacy Center, Inc.
- US Census Canvasser, 2019-2020
- IUGG Early Career Scientist Awards Committee, Chair, 2015 and 2018
- Advisory Committee Member for the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and Polar Educators International (PEI)
- Invited Speaker, UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, “Challenges in the Arctic”, Paris, France, 17 June 2015
- SCAR Horizon Scan Invited Participant – 2014
- University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Alumni Board Member 2008-2013, 2018-Present
- Students on Ice 2009 Arctic Expedition and 2011 Antarctic Expedition Educator and Mentor
- SCAR/IASC BiPolar Action Committee Member – 2009 to 2012
- Science Conference Organizing Committees – SCAR 2012 Scientific Organizing Committee; 2012 IPY Montreal Knowledge to Action Committee; IPY Oslo Science Conference June 2010; SCAR 2010 Scientific Organizing Committee; Arctic Science Summit Week 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012; SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference July 2008, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Organized more than 50 conference panels and sessions, workshops, conference and other scientific meetings at a local, regional, national and international level
- Invited Presenter: ICSU General Assembly 2011, US National Academy of Science 2011, World Science Forum 2009, ASSW 2008, and numerous others communicating Polar and Alpine Research to various audiences including children, young researchers, policy makers, and the general public
- Presenter for Al Gore’s Climate Change Project, 2007-2008
- NSF Planning Workshop for the Antarctic Integrated Systems Science Program – June 2007
- Co-Founder for the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) – August 2006
- Reviewer for the US NSF Office of Polar Programs, The Cryosphere, Hydrologic Sciences and Microbial Programs, Environmental Science and Technology, Arctic, Alpine and Antarctica Research Journal, Microbial Ecology, Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences, Ecological Monographs
- Member of the American Geophysical Union – co-chair of 12 sessions at various annual meetings
- Complete list available upon request
Students on Ice 2009 Arctic Expedition
Fundraising and Grant Writing Experience
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PI. 660,000 NOK.
- Research Council of Norway, PI. 900,000 NOK; 1,500,000 NOK.
- Tromsø Kommune Research Development Grant, PI. 2,367,000 NOK.
- NSF Arctic System Science Grant, Co-PI. Funded $4,200,000 US.
- Additional funding sources: Government of Canada, Nordic Council of Ministers, ICSU, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Serla Metsä Group, MoBio, Inc., Polar Research, Russian Antarctic Expedition, etc.
- Complete list available upon request