Benjamin Keisling
He/Him, They/Them
I am queer and I am a geoscientist.//
I’m a queer Geosciences PhD Candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. My research focuses on how ice sheets and glaciers responded to climate change in the geologic past. The motivation for my work is that by better understanding what drove ice sheets and glaciers to change in the past, we can improve ice-sheet model predictions of future sea-level rise. That way people all over the globe can be better prepared for adapting to, and mitigating, the impacts of climate change. Seeing and hearing from “out” LGBTQ+ role models has helped me persist on the path to becoming a Geoscientist. I’m an advocate for members of underrepresented groups in Geoscience because solutions to the big problems our society faces, like climate change, will only be robust and effective if they incorporate a diverse array of perspectives. I hope the work that so many people have done/are doing to make science more accessible and inclusive paves the way for a future where everyone who has an interest in science feels welcomed, included, and safe to pursue their passion.
Twitter: @palaeobak; Twitter: @umassbridge