Women's History Month- Jessica Certain

Jessica Certain has been passionate about rocks and the outdoors since she was young and grew up going rock collecting, camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. She continues to participate and enjoy these activities today and loves to do these things with family and friends when she can. This is where her interest in STEM fields began, and after taking a break from education following high school, she threw herself into studying and learning about these subjects. She is currently finishing up her Associate of Science at Yavapai College in Prescott and will soon move to Ohio to study at Miami University and earn her Bachelor of Science in Geology. Jessica hopes that throughout her career, her work will preserve natural resources and the environment, be aware of and prepare for natural disasters, and help promote environmental and STEM education.  
 
Jessica currently works with GEM Environmental as a STEM Education Specialist and helps assemble and prepare lesson plans for Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) students. Through GEM’s partnership with the Community Nature Center (CNC), they have been able to provide much-needed COVID-19 relief for PUSD by hosting STEM programming for students while schools are in hybrid and online learning. In the future GEM will support these students by providing after-school programs and field trips, and Jessica is excited to be able to participate in this as well. She believes science is needed in order to learn about the world we live in and is essential in finding ways to continue taking care of our planet.  
 
When Jessica develops these lesson plans, she often thinks about how excited the students are when they get to dig in the dirt or assemble pictures of dinosaur bones. Jessica recognizes the importance of introducing STEM curriculum at an early age and hopes that as these students move on to higher levels of education, the concepts explored with GEM during their STEM Days at the CNC will provide a strong foundation for their continued learning. She loves how passionate people in scientific fields are, and enjoys discussing different aspects of the sciences with her peers.  
  
On a normal day, you can find Jessica absorbed in her studies, spending time outside, reading a book, playing with her dog, or enjoying time with her husband and family. Please reach out to Jessica if you have any questions about geology, lesson planning, or GEM Environmental! You can reach her via email at jcertain@gemenvironmental.org. ​