Dr. Jacob Goessling

Dr. Jacob Goessling is an environmental humanities teacher and researcher specializing in the literature and culture of energy, climate, and environmental justice. His composition courses have focused on themes ranging from “On Leadership” and “The Meaning of Subcultures” to “The End of Nature” and “The Anthropocene.” His literature classes have explored topics like “Books You Should Have Read by Now in American Literature” and “Exploring the Trash Heap: Waste in Contemporary Culture.” In his research, Jacob considers the challenges of ecological citizenship by examining the cultural life of energy in communities where fossil fuels are extracted and produced. Originally from Kentucky, Dr. Goessling earned a BA in Philosophy (2007) and an MA in English (2011), both from the University of Louisville, before completing his PhD at Carnegie Mellon University in 2019.