American University professor Jesse Meiller sits comfortably at her desk in her spacious office in the Beeghly Chemistry Building.

WASHINGTON – The boat rocked gently in the water of the Chesapeake Bay as the young girl looked over the edge. Her hair blew in the breeze as the large man next to her pointed out aquatic plants, naming them enthusiastically. It was something she would never forget.

​

Jesse Meiller often recalls the days she spent on her “Great Big” Uncle Joe’s boat. He was commissioned by the Maryland Department of the Environment and he loved bringing a young Meiller along. For her, these days helped fuel her scientific curiosity.

​

“I asked a lot of questions growing up,” she said. “Science was really about the natural world and understanding what was going on in nature. I was that kid running around wild in the woods behind my house.”

​

At American University, Meiller is well-respected in the Department of Environmental Science and is popular among its students, particularly those who love conducting research with her on expeditions to Costa Rica.

​

“She’s really good at motivating students because she’s really passionate about what she does,” said Eddie Cascella, a student who traveled with Meiller for research. “That really helped, through her enthusiasm, she helped lead us to really good research.”

​

Meiller wasn’t always on this path, though. In fact, she had many different experiences before she found herself at American.

​

After completing her undergraduate degree, Meiller got a job running an oyster restoration program. It was here that she found her passion for marine ecosystems, as well as education, as she taught youth about marine life. These dual passions led her to a doctorate in marine ecology.

​

“I applied to a lot of doctoral programs. I realized I didn’t want to be handed a project. I was very particular about what I wanted to do,” said Meiller. She found a program at the University of Maryland, and with the institution’s help, Meiller applied for many grants to fund her doctoral research.

​

With these funds, she was able to research oysters and pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, completing a full circle going back to the days with her Great-Big-Uncle Joe.

​

Meiller recalled, “While I was doing it, towards the end, I got a lot of advice about post-doc programs and different routes I should take, but I never really wanted to do that.”

​

She knew what she really wanted was to teach science, get outside and work with at-risk youth.

​

“After I got my Ph.D., I helped to start a non-profit in D.C., doing environmental education, and that was awesome,” Meiller said. “I worked mostly with kids from Wards 7 and 8, taking them out on boats on the Anacostia and Potomac, getting them out on the water and understanding that it was their resource.”

​

After a few years, however, Meiller wanted to branch out. She applied to a fellowship through the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This landed her at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she worked for seven years.

“I learned a ton—it was like a whole new world,” she said. “I was really familiar with science and with education, but not with policy, so it was an interesting combination.”

​

During her time at the agency, Meiller worked heavily on endocrine disruption, which looks at how pollution negatively affects hormone systems in marine life. This expertise brought her to Paris and Japan, where she represented the U.S. government in multilateral and bilateral agreements.

​

“When I look back on that now I think ‘Oh my god!’ I was an expert,” she said. “I’m really glad I did it. It was an amazing experience and to be put in that situation where you had to sit around a table with government officials from other countries and share your expertise, and represent the U.S. while doing so, that’s a pretty crazy experience.”

​

Following that, Meiller found her way to American. “I really just missed teaching,” she said. “I wanted to take what I learned through policy and research and apply it to education.”

​

She immediately started working closely with Kiho Kim while he led the department, supporting students in their research.

Kim said Meiller’s background and interest in both policy and education is a great combination for students.

​

“Part of it is that she’s really dedicated to teaching, but I think her ability to think about research in a way that relates to students is very helpful,” Kim said.

​

Nine years later, Meiller is still passionate about education and loves her position at American, guiding students toward a path like her own.