Jessica M. Vélez Spotlight | Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
As the Membership, Engagement and Early Career programs manager for the Genetics Society of America (GSA), Jessica Vélez uses her Bredesen Center training to help scientists explore career opportunities and develop new skills.
Vélez earned her PhD in Energy Science and Engineering at UT-ORII’s Bredesen Center in 2020. Her research focused on Cenococcum geophilum, a fungus commonly found in forests, and its tolerance for heavy metals. If capable of thriving in the presence of these metals, the fungus could nurture poplar trees planted in mining runoff sites and other polluted areas. Meanwhile, the trees, harvested for biofuel production, could help drain the harmful chemicals from the soil.
With this research specialty, Vélez could have pursued a career in academia or at a national lab or a governmental agency, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Department of Energy.
“But it’s a very small community that studies this,” she said.
In UT-ORII’s PhD programs, students are urged to think about careers beyond the lab or classroom. They explore policymaking, entrepreneurship, and science communication and outreach.
For Vélez, science communication and outreach began a passion: “I really enjoy the challenge of trying to explain what scientists do.”
As Vélez was completing her PhD, she was accepted into the GSA’s Early Career Leadership Program that allows graduate students and post-docs to network, work on projects to help other early career scientists and hone their writing skills. After completing her PhD, she stayed involved with the GSA as a contractor and volunteer. In February 2021, she was hired into her current position.
GSA has about 5,000 members, including governmental research scientists, college professors, post-docs, and graduate students. Although the organization is based in Pennsylvania and Maryland, Vélez lives in Knoxville and works remotely. She plans professional development programs, conferences, seminars, and other activities for members and prospective members.
Before studying at the UT-ORII’s Bredesen Center, Vélez earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from UT Knoxville and a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from the University of Texas at Austin.
In her job, she draws on all this expertise: “English and science are not all that different,” she said. “You’re just applying the same skills in a different way – dissecting things and coming up with hypotheses to determine meaning.”