Earth Scientist
Earth Scientist

Biography

Jessica Cross joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2023 and is an Earth scientist in the Coastal Sciences Division. Her research with the Environmental Biogeochemistry team focuses on decarbonization and carbon dioxide removal (CDR), especially in marine and ocean settings. She frequently partners with local communities, private companies, and other federal agencies to explore safe, sustainable, and fair ways to implement effective, CDR projects.

Prior to PNNL Cross worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, where she oversaw the Alaska regional carbon monitoring program and founded NOAA’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Task team. Her research has earned multiple honors and awards, including three Bronze Medals for federal service. She is a sought-after lecturer, giving regular keynotes at conferences and symposia on ocean-based carbon removal topics.

Research Interest

  • Carbon dioxide removal
  • Carbon management and policy
  • Environmental biogeochemistry
  • Coastal sciences
  • Decarbonization
  • Oceanography
  • Carbon chemistry

Education

  • PhD in chemical oceanography, University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • BS in chemistry, Rhodes College

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Team Chair, Ocean Carbon Biogeochemistry (OCB) CDR Measurement, Reporting and Verification Working Group, 2022–present
  • Member, Alaska Ocean Acidification Network Executive Committee, 2016–present
  • Executive U.S. Chair and Delegate, International Arctic Science Committee, Pacific Arctic Group, 2023
  • Principal Project Scientist, NOAA Carbon Dioxide Removal Task Team, 2020–2023
  • Principal investigator, Innovative Technology for Arctic Exploration program, 2016–2020
  • Member, OCB Steering Committee, 2016–2019
  • Speaker, International Arctic Sciences Summit, 2016–2019
  • Member, U.S. Arctic Marine Advisory Program Delegation, 2017–2018

Awards and Recognitions

  • Bronze Medalist for leadership in developing the Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification 2020-2029 Research Plan to advance NOAA’s response to acidification. U.S. Department of Commerce, 2022
  • Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Refereeing, American Geophysical Union, 2020
  • Excellence in Partnering Award, National Ocean Partnership Program, 2019
  • Bronze Medalist for revolutionizing the design of next-generation ecosystem surveys, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2018
  • Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Outstanding Scientific Paper Award, NOAA, 2017

Publications

2023

  • Monacci, N.M., Cross, J.N., Evans, W., Mathis, J.T., and Wang, H., 2023. A decade of marine inorganic carbon chemistry observations in the norther Gulf of Alaska—insights to an environment in transition. Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-325, accepted, 2023.
  • Cross, J.N., et al., 2023. NOAA’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Plan: A White Paper documenting a Potential NOAA CDR Science Strategy as an element of NOAA’s Climate Mitigation Portfolio, https://sciencecouncil.noaa.gov/Draft-CDR-Strategy.
  • Koweek, D., Cross, J.N., and Kitch, G., 2023. Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal and sequestration. In: Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Northrop, E. et al. 2023. " The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Updated Opportunities for Action." Special Report. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute. Available online at https://oceanpanel.org/publication/ocean-solutions-to-climate-change.
  • Palter, J.B., Cross, J.N., Long, M.C., Rafter, P.A., and Reimers, C.E., 2023. The Science We Need to Assess Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal. EOS, 104, doi: 10.1029/2023EO230214.

2022

  • Brodeur, J., Cannizzo, Z., Cross, J.N., Davis, J., DeAngelo, B., Harris, J., Kinkade, C., Peth, J., Samek, K., Shub, A., Stedman, S.-M., Theuerkauf, S., Vaughan, L., and Wenzel, L., 2022. NOAA Blue Carbon. NOAA White Paper, doi: 10.25923/v5fx-r089.
  • Jiang, L.-Q., Pierrot, D., Wanninkhof, R., Feely, R.A., Tilbrook, B., Alin, S., Barbero, L., Byrne, R.H., Carter, B.R., Dickson, A.G., Gattuso, J.-P., Greeley, D., Hoppema, M., Humphreys, M.P., Karstensen, J., Lange, N., Lauvset, S.K., Lewis, E.R., Olsen, A., Perez, F.F., Sabine, C., Sharp, J.D., Tanhua, T., Trull, T.W., Velo, A., Allegra, A.H., Barker, P., Burger, E., Cai, W.-J., Chen, C.-T. A., Cross, J.N., Garcia, H., Hernandez-Ayon, J.M., Hu, X., Kozyr, A., Langdon, C., Lee, K., Salisbury, J., Wang, Z.A., and Zue, L., 2022. Best Practice Data Standards for Discrete Chemical Oceanographic Observations . Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 705638, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.705638.
  • Pilcher, D.J., Cross, J.N., Hermann, A.J., Kearney, K.A., Cheng, W., Mathis, J.T., 2022. Dynamically Downscaled Projections of Ocean Acidification for the Bering Sea. Deep Sea Research II: 198, 105055, doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105055.
  • Wang, H.W., Pilcher, D.J., Kearney, K.A., Cross, J.N., Shugart, M., Eisaman, M.D., and Carter, B.R., 2022. Simulated Impact of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement on Atmospheric CO2 Removal in the Bering Sea, Earth’s Future, 11(1), e2022EF002816, doi: 10.1029/2022EF002816.

2021

  • Chiodi, A.M., Zhang, C., Cokelet, E.D., Yang, Q., Mordy, C.W., Gentemenn, C.L., Cross, J.N., Lawrence-Slavas, N., Meinig, C., et al., 2021. Exploring the Pacific Arctic Seasonal Ice Zone with Saildrone USVs. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 640690, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.640697.
  • Cross, J.N., and Weale, J., 2021. “Technology Innovation and Application: A foundational activity for Arctic Research.” In: Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026. National Science and Technology Council Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee, 2021. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy: Washington DC. Available at: https://www.iarpccollaborations.org/uploads/cms/documents/final-arp-2022-2026-20211214.pdf.
  • Cross, J.N., Niemi, A., Steiner, N., and Pilcher, D.J., 2021. Ocean Acidification. Arctic Report Card 2021, NOAA Technical Report OAR ARC ; 21-10, doi: 10.25923/s5wq-8v05.
  • Jiang, Li-Qing, Feely, R.A., Wanninkhof, R., Greeley, D., Barbero, L., Alin, S., Carter, B.R., Pierrot, D., Featherstone, C., Hooper, J., Melrose, C., Monacci, N., Sharp, J.D., Shellito, S., Zu, Y.-Y., Kozyr, A., Byrne, R.H., Cai, W.-J., Cross, J.N., Johnson, G.C., Hales, B., Langdon, C., Mathis, J., Salisbury, J., and Townsend, D.W., 2021. Coastal Ocean Data Analysis Product in North America (CODAP-NA) – An Internally Consistent Data Product for Discrete Inorganic Carbon, Oxygen, and Nutrients on the North American Ocean Margins. Earth Systems Science Data, 13, 2777-2799, doi: 10.5194/essd-13-2777-2021.
  • Wang, H., Lin, P., Pickart, R.S., and Cross, J.N., 2021. Summer surface CO2 dynamics on the Bering Sea and Eastern Chukchi Sea Shelves from 1989-2019. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127(1), e2021JC017424, doi: 10.1029/2021JC017424.

2020

  • Cai, W.-J., Xu, Y.-Y., Feely, R.A., Wanninkhof, R., Jonsson, B., Alin, A.R., Barbero, L., Cross, J.N., Azetsu-Scott, et al., 2020. Controls on Surface Water Carbonate Chemistry along North American Ocean Margins. Nature Communications, 11, 2691, doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16530-z.
  • Cross, J.N., Long, W.C., Pilcher, D.J., Hurst, T.P., Feely, R.A., and Stepien, C., 2020. Arctic Region Ocean Acidification Research. NOAA Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan: 2020-2029, https://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/ ResearchPlan2020.
  • Hurst, T.P., Cross, J.N., Long, W.C., Pilcher, D.J., Dalton, M., Holsmann, K.K., Thorson, J.T., Foy, R.J., and Mintz, J.M.M., 2020. Alaska Region Ocean Acidification Research. NOAA Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan: 2020-2029, https://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/ ResearchPlan2020.

2019

  • Creamean, J., Cross, J.N., Pickart, R., McRaven, L., Lin, P., Pacini, A., Hanlon, R., Schmale, D.G., Cecineros, J., Aydell, T., Colombi, N., Bolger, E., and DeMott, P.J., 2019. Ice Nucleating Particles Carried from below a Phytoplankton Bloom to the Arctic Atmosphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(14), doi: 10.1029/2019GL083039.
  • Cross, J.N., Turner, J., Cooley, S.R., Newton, J., Azetsu-Scott, K., Braby, C.E., Caren E., et al., 2019. Building the Knowledge-to-Action Pipeline in North America: Connecting ocean acidification research and actionable decision support. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6:356, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00356.
  • Meinig, C., Jenkins, R., deHalleaux, S., Cohen, N., Lawrence-Slavas, N., Cross, J.N., Cronin, M.F., Cokelet, E.D., Burger, E., Sutton, A., Mordy, C.W., Zhang, D., Zhang, C., and Jessup A., 2019. Advance Global Ocean Observing Capabilities: A Saildrone an NOAA-PMEL Case Study. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 448, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00448.
  • Sutton, A.J., Feely, R.A. Maenner-Jones, S., Musielewicz, S., Osborne, J., Dietrich, C., Monacci, N., Cross, J., Bott, R., Kozyr, A., et al., 2019. Autonomous Seawater pCO2 and pH Time Series from 40 Surface Buoys and the Emergence of Anthropogenic Trends. Earth Systems Science Data, 11, 421-439, 2019.

2018

  • Bellerby, R., Anderson, L.G., Osborne, E., Steiner, N., Pipko, I., Cross, J.N., Chierici, M., Fransson, A., Azetsu-Scott, K., Olafsson, J., and Miller, L., 2018. Arctic Ocean Acidification: An Update. In: AMAP Assessment 2018: Arctic ocean acidification, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), Tromso, Norway.
  • Cross, J.N., Hurst, T.P., Foy, R.S., Long, C.W., Dalton, M.G., and Stone, R.P., 2018. Successes and Challenges of Interdisciplinary Ocean Acidification Research in Alaska. Arctic Observing Summit Statement. Available at: https://www.arcticobservingsummit.org/sites/default/files/ID_022_2018_Arctic%20Observing%20Summit%20statement.pdf.
  • Cross, J.N., Mathis, J.T., Pickart, R.S., and Bates, N.R., 2018. Formation and Transport of Corrosive Water in the Pacific Arctic Region. Deep Sea Research II, 152, 67-81, doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2018.05.020.
  • Le Quere, C., Andrew, R.M., Friedlingstein, P., Sitch, S., Pongratz, J., Manning, A.C., Krosbakken, J.I., Peters, G.P., Canadell, J.G., Jackson, R.B., Boden, T.A., Tans, P.P., Andrews, O.D., Arora, V.K., Bakker, D.C.E., Barbero, L., Becker, M., Betts, R.A., Bopp, L., Chevallier, F., Chini, L.P., Ciais, P., Cosca, C.E., Cross J.N., Currie, K., Gasser, T., Harris, I., Hauck, J., Haverd, V., Houghton, R.A., Hunt, C.W., et al., 2018. Global Carbon Budget 2017. Earth System Science Data, 10, 405-448, doi: 10.5194/essd-10-405-2018.
  • Pilcher, D., Naiman, D.M., Cross, J.N., Hermann, A.J., Siedlecki, S.A., Gibson, G.A., Mathis J.T., 2018. Modeled Effect of Coastal Biogeochemical Processes, Climate Variability, and Ocean Acidification on Aragonite Saturation State in the Bering Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00508.

2017

  • Carter, B.R., Feely, R.A., Mecking, S., Cross, J.N., Macdonald, A.M., Siedlecki, S.A., Talley, L.D., Sabine, C.L., Millero, F.J., Swift, J.H., Dickson, A.G., and Rodgers, K.B., 2017. Two Decades of Pacific Anthropogenic Carbon Storage and Ocean Acidification along Global Ocean Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program Sections P16 and P02. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 31(2), 306-327, doi: 10.1002/2016GB005485.
  • Mordy, C.W., Cokelet, E.D., De Robertis, A., Jenkins, R., Kuhn, C.W., Lawrence-Slavas, N., Berchok, C.L., Crance, J.L., Sterling, J.T., Cross, J.N., Stabeno, P.J., Meinig, C., Tabisola, H.M., Burgess, W., and Wangen, I., 2017. Advances in Ecosystem Research: Saildrone Surveys of Oceanography, Fish, and Marine Mammals in the Bering Sea. Oceanography, 30(2), 113-115, doi: 10.5670/oceanog.2017.230.
  • Turk, D., Bednarsek, N., Evans, W., Garcia-Ibanez, M.I., Hales, B., and Cross, J.N., 2017. Role of Technology in Ocean Acidification: Monitoring, Water-Quality Impairments, CO2 Mitigation, and Machine Learning. In: Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies, Elias, S.A., ed., pp. 125-133, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10165-4.

2016

  • Benway, H., Alin, S., Boyer, E., Cai, W.-J., Coble, P., Cross, J.N, Friedrichs, M., Goñi, M., Griffith, P., Herrmann, M., Lohrenz, S., Mathis, J., McKinley, G., Najjar, R., Pilskaln, C., Siedlecki, S., Smith, R. 2016. A Science Plan for Carbon Cycle Research in North American Coastal Waters. Report of the Coastal CARbon Synthesis (CCARS) Community Workshop, August 19-21, 2014, Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Program and North American Carbon Program, 84 pp.
  • Cross, J.N., Mordy, C.W., Tabisola, H.M., Meinig, C., Cokelet, E.D., and Stabeno, P.J., 2016. Innovative Technology Development for Arctic Exploration. Oceans 2015 MTS/IEEE Washington, IEEE Washington, DC, 8 pp. 

2015

  • Cokelet, E.D., Meinig, C., Lawrence-Slavas, N., Stabeno, P.J., Mordy, C.W., Tabisola, H.M., Jenkins, R., Cross, J.N., 2015. The Use of Saildrones to Examine Spring Conditions in the Bering Sea: Instrument Comparisons, Sea Ice Meltwater, and Yukon River Plume Studies, Oceans 2015 MTS/IEEE Washington, IEEE Washington, DC, 6 pp. 
  • Evans, W., Mathis, J.T., Cross, J.N., Bates, N.R., Frey, K.E., and Else, B.G.T., et al., 2015. Sea-Air CO2 Exchange in the Western Arctic Coastal Ocean. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 29, doi: 10.1002/2015GB005153.
  • Mathis, J.T., and Cross, J.N., Evans, W., and Doney, S.C., 2015. Ocean Acidification in the Surface Waters of the Pacific-Arctic Boundary Regions. Oceanography Magazine, 28(2), 122-135, doi: 10.5670/oceanog.2015.36.
  • Yates, K.K., Turley, C., Hopkinson, B., Todgham, A., Cross, J.N., Greening, H., Van Hooidonk, R., Williamson, P., Deheyn, D., and Johnson, Z., 2015. Transdisciplinary Science: A Path to Understanding the Interactions among Ocean Acidification, Ecosystems, and Society. Oceanography Magazine, 28(2), 212-225. doi: 10.5670/oceanog.2015.43.

2014

  • Cross, J.N., Mathis, J.T., Frey, K.E., Cosca, C., Danielson, S.L., Bates, N.R., Feely, R.A., Takahashi, T., and Evans, W., 2014. Annual Sea-Air CO2 Fluxes in the Bering Sea: Insights from New Autumn and Winter Observations of a Seasonally Ice-Covered Continental Shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 119, doi: 10.1002/2013JC009579.
  • Cross, J.N., Mathis, J.T., Lomas, M.W., Moran, S.B., Grebmeier, J., Shull, D., Mordy, C.W., Stabeno, P.J., Sambrotto, R., Gradinger, R., Juranek, L., Prokopenko, M., and Baumann, M.S., 2014. Integrated Assessment of the Carbon Budget in the Southeastern Bering Sea. Deep Sea Research II, 109, 112-124, doi: 10.1016/j.desr2.2014.03.003.

2012

  • Cross, J.N., Mathis, J.T., Bates, N.R., and Byrne, R.H., 2012. Conservative and Non-Conservative Variations of Total Alkalinity on the Southeastern Bering Sea Shelf. Marine Chemistry, 154, 100-112, doi: 10.1016/jmarchem.2013.05.012.
  • Cross, J.N., and Mathis, J.T., 2012. Hydrographic Controls on Net Community Production and Total Organic Carbon Distributions in the Eastern Bering Sea. Deep Sea Research II, 65-70, 98-109, doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2012.02.003.