Jose Ramon Becerra Vera is a PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Purdue University, working in the Farmer Learning, Agriculture, Culture, Humanities, and Social science laboratory. He specializes in the political ecology of pollution, uneven exposure, and environmental and climate justice. Currently a National Geographic Explorer, he collects dissertation field data with citizen scientists in Southern California’s Inland Empire, examining uneven exposure to wildfire smoke and logistics transportation pollution. Through his community-centered data collection and analysis, unmasking the drivers of uneven pollution exposure, his work aims to democratize science and contribute to local and global fights for environmental and climate justice.
