Meet Jessica Pierce | Bioethicist and writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Pierce and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, how do you think about risk?

One of my daily mantras is “Do one thing that scares you.” I take this broadly to include things that make me uncomfortable (presenting my ideas to a group of highly respected peers) and things that elicit a fear of failure or rejection (reaching out to an editor to pitch an idea). I usually wind up doing several things that scare me, but I allow myself to take the rest of the day off after doing one scary thing–and that makes it feel manageable.

I often take the “do something scary” quite literally. I love to rock climb and mountain bike and snowboard. I follow the same basic rule: if I go down one scary rock section on my bike, then I’m off the hook and and get off an walk at the next scary spot, with no guilt or self-recrimination.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a bioethicist, which means that I try to think and write critically about ethical issues that arise within the context of science, especially biology and biomedical sciences. Through my writing, I invite people to shift their perspective, gain an appreciation for a diversity of opinions, and learn something new. I’m especially passionate about human-animal relationships and our interactions with the natural world which, let’s face it, could really use some improvement. I spent a lot of time in school, studying various religious and philosophical traditions. My first job out of graduate school was teaching ethics to medical students, which I found far more challenging than my college job working at a preschool. I learned that you need to speak to people with an appreciation of where they are, not where you are or where you think they should be. They had a much better idea of what they needed than I did. While at the medical center, I also encountered my first experience trying to work with people whose attitudes toward animals were radically different from my own. I’d call it a A-Level failure on my part. I couldn’t figure out how to compromise, whether to compromise (I think probably not, in this case), and how to keep myself from sinking into despair. Over the years, I’ve gotten much better at modulating my message, depending on my audience. And I’ve learned to work in ways that feed my soul, rather than suck it dry.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, it wouldn’t involve much time in a city, that’s for sure. I live in the middle of nowhere, in a tiny mountain town. I would force my guests to go hiking and then take them for a dip in the stream that runs through town (assuming they visit in summer). If they wanted some civilization, I would take them to Boulder. We’d maybe go to the climbing gym, walk Pearl St., take a hike in Chautauqua, have a beer at the Rayback Collective. Maybe go to Woodgrain for my favorite sandwich: vegan BLT on fresh homemade bagel. We might then spend a day up in Rocky Mountain National Park, after which I would reward them by letting them walk the main drag in Estes Park. They could load up on fudge, popcorn, and corny T-shirts.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give credit to Bella, my dog. She has challenged me to think differently about what it means to be a “good dog” (and a good person) and has given me permission to be a little bit more spicy than my amiable baseline.

Website: www.jessicapierce.net

Facebook: Jessica Pierce

Youtube: @jessicapierce_ethics

Image Credits
Sage Madden