Jordan Blekking

Education: A.A. General Education, Kellogg Community College; B.S. Environmental Studies and Applications, Michigan State University; M.S. Geography, Indiana University; PhD Geography, Indiana University

Courses Taught: GEOG 3120 Fundamentals of Geographic Information SystemsDTSC 2301: Modelling and Society

Biography: A product of the American Midwest, Jordan grew up in the rustbelt city of Battle Creek, Michigan (home to Kellogg’s and Post cereal companies), where he earned an A.A. at Kellogg Community College. After transferring to Michigan State University, he earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Applications. He then worked with the Bureau of Land Management in Yuma, Arizona, as a wildland firefighter and recreational GIS specialist. From 2012 to 2015, Jordan served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia, where he became interested in issues related to food security and resource access. After his time abroad, Jordan earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Geography from Indiana University in 2022. His doctorate focused on how rapid urbanization in Southern African cities impacts the development of food retail environments and urban food systems. He then held a post-doctoral research and lecturer position at Cornell University. Jordan has conducted research in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Zambia.