Jennifer Adler
Jenny Adler, PhD, is a scientist turned photojournalist who specialises in communicating science and conservation through visual storytelling. With expertise in underwater photography and trained in both freediving and cave diving, she brings rare access to submerged ecosystems.
Her background in marine biology and interdisciplinary ecology shapes her work, which often explores the relationship between people and water in a changing climate. Jenny’s photography is guided by scientific accuracy and emotional clarity, bridging the gap between research and public understanding.
Jenny holds a degree in marine biology from Brown University and earned her PhD in interdisciplinary ecology from the University of Florida. Her scientific training informs every aspect of her visual storytelling, allowing her to explore complex ecological subjects with depth and care. Through photography, she makes science more accessible, focusing on the ways people interact with aquatic ecosystems as climate and environmental conditions shift.
Her specialist areas include groundwater systems, freshwater springs, coral reef restoration, and the cultural and ecological roles of water. Jenny’s work has been supported by grants and assignments from the Pulitzer Center, The Nature Conservancy, the International Women’s Media Foundation, and National Geographic. She is represented by the National Geographic Image Collection and contributes to major publications including HuffPost and Vox.
In addition to fieldwork, Jenny teaches university courses in science journalism. She began teaching at Duke University and now lectures at Brown, where she guides students in combining scientific knowledge with effective communication. Her interdisciplinary approach connects research with personal storytelling, helping students and audiences alike understand the importance of conservation and the power of photography to shape environmental awareness.
Adler uses photography to bridge the gap between science and the public, capturing the beauty and urgency of environmental change. As a trained freediver and cave diver, she works in difficult-to-access places, offering unique views of submerged ecosystems. Her images, from Florida’s aquifers to coastal mangroves and reef systems, tell stories of ecological fragility and resilience.
Her approach combines scientific understanding with emotional depth, often focusing on how people connect with water as a cultural and life-sustaining force. Jenny collaborates with researchers, conservation organisations, and local communities to document ongoing efforts to protect and restore marine and freshwater environments. She also works closely with educators and scientists to ensure her stories are grounded in evidence and serve a purpose beyond awareness.
Through exhibitions, university teaching, and published assignments, Jenny continues to advance the role of photography in environmental science. Her work does not simply inform; it invites reflection and connection. Each image becomes part of a larger conversation about conservation, climate, and our responsibility to the natural world. Jenny’s visual storytelling creates space for empathy, learning, and action at a time when these are most needed.
Film
Home Waters (2022)
Director, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation
Available on PBS:
pbs.org/video/home-waters
Selected Exhibitions
Earth Photo Exhibition Tour
Climate Change Category Winner, 2024
earthphoto.world/2024-exhibition-tour
Snapshot: Climate
Travelling exhibition, Center for the Study of Southern Culture, 2023 to 2025
southerncultures.org/events/snapshot-climate-shows
If/Then Exhibit
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2022
aib.si.edu/womensfutures
Exposure: Lives at Sea
Royal Museums Greenwich, 2021
rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/exposure-lives-sea/look-inside
Primitive Florida
Southeast Museum of Photography, 2020
southeastmuseumofphotography.org/primitive-florida
