Claire Cooper
She/Her
I am a queer biromantic asexual and I am an earth scientist. //
I work in the field of earth system interactions; my first love is for volcanology, but right now I’m researching the interplay between volcanoes and climate systems, with a little bit of glaciology and ecology thrown in for good measure! When I was in secondary school, and throughout the first couple of years of my undergrad, I struggled with issues of sexuality and identity, which transferred to my work and to almost every aspect of my life. Not understanding my own emotional drives made me lose confidence in myself, and in what I wanted. But when I finally figured things out I managed to get myself back on track, and really throw myself back into what I loved—science! Looking back, I’d have loved to have more queer role models in my life as a kind of guiding light. I hope by contributing to this project, I can be that for other people who may be experiencing the same struggles.