Jasmine Perea

Tigiqruaq, is a first-year master’s student at the University of Kansas, pursuing a degree in Environmental Water and Resource Science. As a Rural Environmental Specialist with Zender Environmental Health and Research Group, Jasmine is dedicated to advancing sustainable water, sanitation, and solid waste infrastructure in Alaska Native Villages. Her work bridges Indigenous Knowledge and Western science, particularly in cold climate anaerobic digestion technologies.

Jasmine graduated from Alaska Pacific University with a B.S. in Environmental Public Health, where she helped develop the university’s first anaerobic digester. She is now leading efforts to develop a psychrophilic microbial seed for cold-climate digesters, with the goal of improving wastewater treatment and energy recovery in Arctic communities. Her research interests center on co-designing resilient, community-led solutions that reduce environmental health risks while supporting Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.

A proud Ivalu Scholar and community advocate, Jasmine collaborates with Elders, local organizations, and national labs to create culturally grounded solutions that promote environmental justice, youth empowerment, and climate resilience across rural Alaska. She is committed to opening pathways for Indigenous students in STEM and serves as a voice for integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge in environmental engineering practices.