Jack Flanigan

Jack Flanigan took an unconventional route to graduate school. When the COVID pandemic changed his plans after high school, Jack converted a Ford Econoline van into a tiny home and spent a year and a half traveling the American West, skiing, hiking, exploring, and meeting people along the way. After life on the road, he attended community college, where he developed an interest in earth sciences which led to him studying hydrology and earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona. His doctoral research focuses on how forever chemicals, specifically PFAS, move within the food system - from soil to crops to people. Outside of academics, Jack loves to ski, travel, cook, and spend time with friends. He especially enjoys when people and food come together and the experiences that ensue, whether from his own cooking or someone else's.