Annie Chien

She/Her

I am queer and I am a geobiologist.//

Coming from a low socioeconomic background, I never thought I could go to college, much less be able to call myself a scientist. Today, I am a first-generation college graduate and geobiologist, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities the very supportive Occidental College geology and biology departments have given me to pursue my passions and interests! I had the opportunity to do research on alpine glacier evolution while trekking through the high Himalayas in Nepal, and on paleoclimate and the volcanic history of Taiwan. I was introduced to the Juneau Icefield Research Program (@juneauicefieldresearchprogram) through a JIRP (as it is lovingly dubbed) alumni, where I worked with the biogeochemistry team studying the nutrient and ion flux of the Llewellyn Glacier. My interests currently lie in global ocean water circulation and the effects of climate change on the thermohaline cycle.

In a largely cis-gendered, heterosexual male-dominated field, it can be so hard to find the inspiration to keep doing what you are passionate about. I hope that by being visible as a queer POC scientist, I can inspire others like me to pursue STEM and study this amazing planet we call home.

Instagram: @anndalusite_