Jen Klein O’Keefe ’98

Jen Klein O’Keefe ’98 was among scientists featured in a Discover magazine article “Earth on Fire,” which appeared in the July/August 2010 issue. She is an assistant professor of science at Morehead State University and leads a team of scientists and students in the study of coal fires in eastern Kentucky. The team is part of a larger effort to determine the overall contribution of coal fires to the North American greenhouse gas production. Author Kris Olhson accompanied Jen, her collaborator, and several students on a trip to a coal fire in eastern Kentucky. Jen teaches in both the science education and geology programs at Morehead State University and mentors undergraduate researchers in geology and chemistry. She said her belief in the value of undergraduate research experiences stems from her own experiences as a geology major at Cornell College.