Emergence of Life and Earth's Biosphere
Review and analysis of scientific research and theory bearing on knowledge of Earth’s protogeobiosphere, origins and evolution of protobiont complexity, and emergence of life in the cosmos.
Research
Theory
Synthesis
Sinking thro these Elemental wonders swift to fall
I thought perhaps to find an End a world beneath of voidness
Whence I might travel round the outside of this Dark confusion...
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....which way so ever I my spirits turn no end I find of all.
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William Blake: Urizen : The Four Zoas, Night the Sixth.
Saros 128:33 42° 4' 50" N, 122° 43' 1" W Eclipsed!
Steven L. Jessup, PhD
Biosphere Research, LLC
1125 Paradise Lane, Ashland, Oregon
Postdoctoral:
University of California, Berkeley 1994-1997. Research Associate, Department of Integrative Biology, U.C. & Jepson Herbaria, and Molecular Phylogenetics Laboratory.
Doctoral:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 1994. PhD, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and UM Herbarium. Reticulate Evolution in Gaudichaudia (Malpighiaceae).
Predoctoral:
University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources 1982-1985. Environmental Advocacy and Environmental Education: graduate work focused on social change associated with emerging environmental impacts of advanced industrial civilization.
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University of Rhode Island, Botany Department and Graduate School of Oceanography 1978-1981. Theodore Smayda Laboratory, Narragansett Bay. Laboratory: in situ and lab culture of marine dinoflagellates, diatoms, nanoflagellates.
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University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science, Horn Point Laboratories, Cambridge, Maryland 1978. Nanoplankton diversity and food web structure supporting Crassostrea fishery in tributaries of the Choptank River estuary, Chesapeake Bay.
Undergraduate:
University of Maryland, College Park 1977. BSc, Department of Botany
Frederick Community College, 1974. Frederick, Maryland.
Faculty Appointments:
Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR 1997-2016
Associate Professor, Department of Biology 1997-2008.
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy 2008-2015.
Associate Professor, Division of Undergraduate Studies 2015 -2016.
University Curriculum Committee 2003-2008.
Faculty Senator 2009-2014.
Interim Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy 2009.
Director, Certificate in Botany, Department of Biology, 2002-2016.
Co-director, SOU Masters Program in Environmental Education 1997-2008.
Director, SOU Herbarium & Cryptogam Biodiversity Observatory 1997-2014.
Director, Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Arts and Sciences 2009-2010.
Major Curriculum Taught:
(*indicates new courses and curriculum developed by Steven L. Jessup)
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2015-2016 *University Seminar USEM 101-103 Witnessing Reality
2015-2016 *Social Justice House & Social Justice Engagement
2014 *Earth Systems and Global Environmental Change ES 200 (on-line).
2009-2014 *Biosphere Ecology and Global Environmental Change ES 479
2009-2015 *Biodiversity ES 379 (2010, on-line in 2014).
2011-2015 Environmental Studies Senior Capstone Research
2010-2015 Intro to Environmental Studies: Biological Science (Lecture and Lab)
2009-2013 Oceanography G 353
2003-2012 *Ethnobotany and Cross-Cultural Communication Bi 384
1999-2014 *Origin and Diversity of Land Plants Bi 432/532
2000-2013 *Origins and Diversity of Protists and Fungi Bi 436/536
1999-2010 *Plant Identification and Field Botany Bi 444/544
2010 Physical Environment II Laboratory ES 112
2009 *Introduction Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies CAS 520
2009 Intro to Environmental Studies: Earth Science Laboratory ES 101
1997-2007 Natural History of the Pacific Northwest Bi 523 (10-day field course)
1999-2007 *Bryophytes and Lichens of the Pacific Northwest Bi 442/542
2003 *Senior Research Evolution and Ecology: Hyperthermophilic Mesocosm
2004-2005 *Science and Advocacy in Environmental Policy Debate Bi 383
2001-2003 *History and Philosophy of the Environmental Movement
2002 *Methods in Plant Systematics Bi 435/535
2002 *Environmental Education Seminar: Wilderness Education Training
1998-2000 Conservation of Natural Resources Bi 445/545
1998-1999 Natural Resource Management Bi 590
1998-2000 Evolutionary Biology Bi 446/546
1997-2013 *Plant Systematics and Evolution Bi 433/533
1999 Conservation Biology Bi 438/538
1997 Principles of Biology, Bi 211
1997 Plant Ecology Bi 454/554
Other Teaching Positions and Appointments:
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Southern Oregon University, 2022.
Life and Biospheres Emergent in the Cosmos.
Deep Springs College, California 2008. Visiting Professor in Biology and Mathematics, (Fall Semester). Courses Developed and Taught: 1) Origins and Emergence of Life and the Biosphere; 2) Mathematical Thought: History, Sociology, and Neuroscience of Mathematical Invention.
Monteverde Institute, Monteverde, Costa Rica 2012. Faculty in Residence, June – December): Field production of video and audio recordings for documentaries on biodiversity and cryptobiota.
Diablo Valley College, Concord, CA 1996. Adjunct faculty: Plant Systematics.
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University of California, Integrative Biology, Berkeley, CA 1995-1997. Post-doctoral teaching: Organismal Biology; Research Associate, U.C. & Jepson Herbaria;
Molecular Phylogenetics Laboratory, Coordinator.
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Saint Mary’s College, Moraga, CA 1995. Visiting professor, sabbatical replacement: Plant Systematics and Field Botany.
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University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 1981-1994. Lecturer, Graduate Teaching Assistant, and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Chemistry.
University of Michigan, English Composition Board 1982-1985. Graduate Teaching Assistant, 0.5 FTE: Composition I & II (year-long writing course for first year students).
University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI 1987. Lecturer, field and laboratory courses developed for undergraduate field biology curriculum.
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University of Michigan Residential College, Ann Arbor, MI 1989. Lecturer, New England Literature Program, Lake Winnepesauke, NH.
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University of Michigan Residential College, Ann Arbor, MI 1985. Lecturer, Farms, Land, and Food Policy, an interdisciplinary course for seniors examining environmental and social change associated with U.S. food production in the 20th Century.
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, 1978-1981. Graduate Teaching Assistant, and Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate School of Oceanography.
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Professional publications and reports:
Jessup, S. L. 2020. Antheliaceae (Anthelia, Hygrobiella, Lophochaete), in Flora of North America, Vol. 29, Marchantiophyta, Oxford University Press (in press).
Jessup, S. L. 2020. Blepharostomataceae (Blepharostoma), in Flora of North America, Vol. 29, Marchantiophyta, Oxford University Press.
Jessup, S. L. 2020. Sphenolobopsis (Scapaniaceae), in Flora of North America, Vol. 29, Marchantiophyta, Oxford University Press.
Jessup, S. L. 2020. Cryptocolea (Solenostomaceae), in Flora of North America, Vol. 29, Marchantiophyta, Oxford University.
Jessup, S.L., D. Stone, J. Villella 2018. Lichens and Bryophytes of Fish Creek Watershed, Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon.
2008. P. Dartnell, R. Collier, M. Buktenica, S. Jessup, S. Girdner, and P. Triezenberg. Multibeam sonar mapping and modeling of a bryophyte mat in Crater Lake, Oregon. USGS.
2002. Six new species and taxonomic revisions in Mexican Gaudichaudia (Malpighiaceae). Madroño 49(4):237-255.
2002. Reticulate ancestry in Mexican Gaudichaudia (Malpighiaceae) analyzed with RAPD's and southern hybridization. Madroño 49(4):256-273.
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1993. Geometry of the fuzzy species concept: cladistics, phenetics, and the tokogeny/phylogeny boundary. unpublished manuscript.
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Biosurvey Experience:
2024. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. Outer coast cryptogam survey.
2023. Plumas National Forest. Feather River, Grizzly Ridge, Whitehawk.
2023. Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Little White Salmon, Monte Cristo Range.
2023. Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, Lands with Wilderness Character Survey
2023. Medford District BLM. Vascular and Nonvascular Survey. Tallow Box Range.
2022-2023. Crater Lake National Park. Cryptogam Survey of the Caldera Rim.
2018-19. Microscopy and diagnostics for cryptobiota surveys: subcontracting with Siskiyou Biosurvey, LLC.
2017. Vascular and non-vascular plant surveys: Siskiyou; Gifford Pinchot NF; subcontracting with Siskiyou Biosurvey, LLC.
2016. Bryophyte, liverwort, and lichen surveys: Biodiversity Research Collective, Fish Creek Headwaters (Clackamas).
2012. Studies in tropical cryptogams, Monteverde, Costa Rica.
2008. Cryptobiota surveys in Deep Springs Valley and White-Inyo Mountains
2007. Umqua National Forest. Vascular and non-vascular plant surveys. N. Umpqua R.
2006. Cryptobiota surveys in the benthos of Crater Lake.
2005. North Cascades; Fjords and headlands of Southern British Columbia.
2004. Crater Lake caldera and lakeshore; Western Siskiyou Mountains; North Cascades.
2003. Siskiyou Mountains; Hyperoceanic environments in the PNW.
2002. Cascade Siskiyou National Monument; Siskiyou Mountains.
1995-2001. Lava Beds National Monument; Sierra Nevada, CA; High-desert, Eastern OR; High Cascades, CA OR WA.
Professional and creative endeavors:
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Soda Mountain Wilderness Council, Secretary, Board of Directors 1999-2024.
Documentary Film production 2010-present (Edge of Noise Productions): field and studio video and audio production technique, and postproduction work.
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Research on origins of life and earliest biosphere 2004-present: developing curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students and professional seminars.
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Crater Lake National Park research expeditions 2004-present. Research dives 2006: joint NPS, USGS, UO, and SOU expeditions. Continuing research on cryptobiota in Crater Lake Caldera and microcosm studies of Crater Lake benthic biota.
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Professional Organization Membership. American Geophysical Union; American Arachnological Society; American Fern Society; Bryological and Lichenolgical Society; California Lichen Society; Northwest Lichenologists.
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Alpine Mountaineering Technical Leadership 2005. Rock, Ice, Snow Levels I & II, American Alpine Institute.
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Spring Outing Botanical Excursion Foray Retreat and Escape to the Environment (SOBEFREE) 1996. Founding member, Brent Mishler Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology.
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Piloting and Seamanship Training:
1994-1997, 41’ Perry Cutter, Peregrine, single-handing, coastal piloting and navigation, liveaboard, Berkeley, CA.
2005, 37’ Nordic Tug, Wandering Tattler, Inside Passage, piloting & navigation, bare boat charter, Anacortes to Port Hardy, and fjords of BC.
Wilderness First Responder Certification 2005. Wilderness Medicine Institute, National Outdoor Leadership School.
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SCUBA Certifications 2004-2005. Open water, deep diving, nitrox, dry-suit.
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Violinist. Collegium Musicum medieval music ensemble; 2nd Street Orchestra; Art of Fugue baroque quartet; Scottish and Irish fiddling; improvisational compositions.
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Bardic Arts. Recitations from memory of 18th Century English bardic verse.
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