Vanderbilt’s residential college experience is a special aspect of student life at the university, rooted in authentic connection and engagement. Undergraduate houses and colleges are led by faculty, with their families and pets, who live in community with students, creating another vibrant layer of learning and community. Meet the university’s newest faculty heads of house and heads of college in this special series.
Jessica Oster, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences and director of graduate studies, is faculty head of Stambaugh House on The Ingram Commons.
Oster’s research aims to expand the understanding of climate change by unlocking valuable climate information from geologic and environmental archives. That means searching deep underground in caves, using geochemical tools to develop and interpret records of climate change.
Oster involves diverse teams of scholars, including undergraduates, in her research, participating in projects like collecting samples from stalagmites found in Tennessee and analyzing cave drip water samples in Curaçao. Oster was named a Chancellor Faculty Fellow in 2022 and is the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER grant.
- Name: Jessica Oster
- Residential college: Stambaugh House
- Years at Vanderbilt: 12
- Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
- Favorite food: cheese and crackers with some radishes or cucumbers
- Favorite spot on campus: I love the Peabody side of campus, but I spend most of my time in Stevenson Center.
- Why did you want to be a faculty head of house? I am very excited to get to experience all of on-campus life and to be part of this exciting community on The Ingram Commons.
Jessica Oster, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences and director of graduate studies, with her family (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt) - What does your family think about living on campus? Everyone is really excited about living on campus.
- What advice do you have for new and returning students coming to campus? The advice I remember my first year academic adviser giving me is to remember to wash my hands! Sounds simple, but it’s helpful. I also want to encourage everyone to really savor these first few weeks. It’s like no other time in your life. You will meet so many people and make lifelong friends.
- Anything else you want people to know about you? Our family just lost our dog this summer. We were so excited for everyone on campus to meet him. We are taking time to grieve but do expect to adopt another dog from the shelter sometime this year to join our family.
Jessica Oster and a student inside the Blue Spring Cave in Middle Tennessee (Vanderbilt)
Jessica Oster during fieldwork at a Tennessee cave (Vanderbilt)
Jessica Oster working in White Mountain Cave (Jessica Blois)
Watch a video of Jessica Oster and students doing research deep inside Tennessee area caves.
Read about other faculty heads of house in this special series.
