Jesse Callahan Bryant is a doctoral candidate in sociology at the Yale School of the Environment. His research interests revolve around the intersection of conservative thought and the environment, with a methodological focus on computational methods and emerging LLM tools. Specifically, he explores the complex relationship between conservative ideology and environmentalism and imagines how the common good might be achieved across wide chasms of ideological difference.
Jesse holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Boston University and a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. As a Kerry Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, he has engaged in research projects that investigate the impacts of global environmental change on international security and conflict. He has recently begun working with the Plurality Institute on imagining how emerging LLM technologies might be deployed to improve democratic decision-making processes. Additionally, he is a senior instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), where he primarily provides leadership training for high school and college-aged students from underserved backgrounds.
With a deep passion for environmentalism and social justice, he has dedicated himself to exploring the complex relationships between politics, the environment, and social issues. His research aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the environmental challenges facing our world today, while his public-facing work attempts to bring that nuance to a popular audience.