Lecturer and Academic Advisor, Master of Environmental Studies
Jack Murphy is a lecturer and advisor in the Department of Earth & Environmental Science (EES) and the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program at Penn. He holds a BSc in physics from Bates College and a PhD in geochemistry from Princeton University. As a Princeton Energy and Climate Scholar (PECS) at the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI), he worked in a select interdisciplinary cohort developing solutions to energy and climate challenges. Jack later conducted postdoctoral research at Penn and remains an affiliated researcher and mentor in the Penn Biogeochemical Cycles (BiCycles) Lab. Before graduate school, he served as an education volunteer in the US Peace Corps in Lesotho, working in education and community development.
At Penn, Jack teaches courses in both Earth and environmental sciences, focusing on the dynamics of the Earth system—how its natural processes operate and respond to human activities. As an advisor, he works with MES students pursuing a wide range of environmental interests, supporting their academic and professional development across disciplines. Jack enjoys mentoring students as they work toward pragmatic and effective solutions to complex environmental challenges, helping them integrate scientific knowledge with broader societal concerns and develop solutions that align human well-being with the integrity of Earth's natural systems.
Outside academia, Jack enjoys outdoor adventures and exploring nature with his two young children while striving to be a half-decent denizen of Earth.
