Jessica Varner

Jessica Varner is a Getty/ACLS Fellow in the History of Art (2023-24) and is working with the University of Chicago Press on her forthcoming book, Chemical Desires: When the Chemical Industry Met Modern Design (1870-1970). Her current research has received generous support from the Fulbright Program, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), National Science Foundation, Science History Institute, USC Society of Fellows, and the Graham Foundation. Her recent work includes articles, chapters, and book projects on chromium, drywall, toxicity, the EPA’s public history, synthetic chemicals in building materials, neurotoxins, and chemical modernity. Varner works collectively with the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI, co-founder of A People’s EPA (APE)) and Coming Clean to seek alternatives and repair in toxics. She has a PhD in History, Theory, Criticism of Art and Architecture from MIT and Master of Environmental Design and Master of Architecture from Yale.