Jack Braley
Intern
Jack Braley hails from San Antonio, TX, although he lived in Dallas for a significant portion of his life. He has a love-hate relationship with IH-35 connecting the two cities and considers himself more of a San Antonian. Jack graduated in May 2021 from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX with an honors degree in Physics and Astronomy. He says he has been a space nerd his whole life, leading him to complete three years of undergraduate research on dark matter distributions across galaxies. During university, he developed a passion for sustainability, and has been searching for ways to bridge his education in physics with fields of sustainability.
Q&A
What drew you to work at TLI?
My desire to find a way to apply my skill set and education to fields of sustainability has led me into agriculture. One of the professors in the physics department at my university has connections with TLI and put me in contact with them. I am eager to offer a different perspective of the natural world to TLI and aim to further my career in sustainable agriculture afterwards.
What else are you passionate about (outside of work)?
I am passionate about DEI work in the outdoor industry. I’ve been a guide for various outdoor recreational activities and have noticed several areas the outdoor industry needs to improve upon. I hope to keep one foot in the outdoor industry in my future to make outdoor spaces available to everyone and help others develop their own relationship with the natural world.
If you were to write a book, what would it be about?
If I were to write a book, it would probably be a rock-climbing guidebook for a new area of climbing. I’m not sure where, but I would love to help develop a new climbing area with a focus on how to utilize the land in a respectful, sustainable manner, including indigenous and geologic history.
What’s your motto / favorite quote?
I have a few guiding quotes for how I operate in the world. One is “I am the universe becoming aware of itself,” and the other is the mantra, “this, too, shall pass.” I turn to both of these in times of anxiety and struggle to ground myself.