Dr Jason Neff

Dr Neff is an accomplished scientist who completed his Biology PHD at Stanford University in 1999. Before joining the University of Colorado Boulder in 2003, he spent several years in academic research and has also written over 100 scientific publications. His work includes A Changing Planet – a widely regarded environmental text, which is available as an interactive programme on our Revel platform. 

An eye on the future 

Early in his career, Dr Neff’s goal was to connect physical science and his broader interests in the environment. And when he discovered the emerging field of biogeochemistry, he didn’t look back. “It brought together biology, geology, and chemistry into a new cross-disciplinary research area, focusing on emerging global environmental problems,” he says. “I knew I had found an exciting path for my career”. Today, Dr Neff has his sights on innovation. He’s passionate about any new approaches that incorporate technology into environmental studies. He’s also an advocate for new learning methods and revolutionising the way the classroom works. 

Dr Neff is no stranger to the evolving educational landscape. As he says, “textbooks have changed a lot in the past 20 years – from a printed book used as reference and added depth for classroom instruction to, in many cases, digital platforms that are designed to help instructors teach differently and to help students learn more efficiently”. 

The professor has also said that these new educational products offer more support for innovative student-centered teaching – they provide learners with a much broader range of tools to help them master their subject. It’s an important point when you also consider how the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged online learning. “I predict that we will see much more flexible and targeted learning opportunities (including more online offerings) in the coming years,” says Dr Neff. “For universities, this is a chance to rethink educational models that have been in places for decades (or longer). For students, it’s a chance to build more personalized learning pathways better suited to their long-term goals.” 

Education and the climate crisis

Dr Neff knows that environmental science will play a huge role in the future of our planet. He’s also an advocate for students who decide to mix his field with things like business and entrepreneurial courses. “My advice to students is to find these unconventional blends of environmental science and more practically-oriented training,” he says. “The real change makers in the future will be those who can contribute to the innovations needed to solve our many environmental problems.”