Inspired by Science in the Antarctic

Dr. Jennifer Mercer, ’97, was one of the first environmental physical sciences majors at BHSU. She put her knowledge gained at BHSU to good use working as a scientist in Antarctica and is now helping other researchers complete their research.

Based out of New Hampshire and Virginia, Jennifer currently works as program director of Arctic Sciences and Arctic Research Support & Logistics for the National Science Foundation (NSF). She also recently co-authored a book, "Writing Successful Science Proposals" which is available on Amazon.

“I was a scientist in Antarctica for many years managing one project, now I make a whole bunch of different science projects happen,” says Mercer. “My team does everything from coordinating runways on the Greenland Ice Sheet, landing cargo airplanes in the snow, and building elevated infrastructure on the ice sheet to help researchers get into the Arctic to do their research more safely and efficiently.”

After graduating from BHSU, Mercer earned her Ph.D. in earth sciences from Dartmouth College and a master’s certificate in project management from The George Washington University.

Before joining NSF, Mercer gained 20 years of “boots on the ground” experience conducting research in remote regions of the world, including; Antarctica, Greenland, the Australian outback, the jungles of Brazil, the desert of Niger, and on ships in the East China Sea and Russian Sea of Okhotsk.

“As an academic researcher, I studied various aspects of how our planet functions and how it responds to human and natural influences. The thing that tied it all together was the challenge of being successful in extreme and austere environments. Now I use my experience to help other researchers be successful.”

Mercer also currently serves as chair of the Forum of Arctic Research Operators (FARO), a country membership organization that promotes dialogue on logistics and operational support for scientific research in the Arctic.

In 2017, Mercer was appointed to be a U.S. Embassy Science Fellow in Denmark where she focused on improving scientific collaboration between the U.S. and Greenland.

“I’ve always been very curious, always had a desire to see more of the world. As a kid I loved looking at National Geographic and the national costumes of the world in the Encyclopedia,” says Mercer.

Growing up in Spearfish, Mercer spent time outdoors, loved playing in the dirt and exploring Spearfish Canyon.

“The mentoring I received at BHSU was the best in the world,” says Mercer. “The confidence that my BHSU professors placed in me really helped to shape my career.”