Keynote Speakers

Katie Keckeisen

Katie is the local history librarian at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. She holds a BA in Forensic Anthropology and History from Wichita State University and an MA in Museum Professions from Seton Hall University. Her thesis - "The Grinning Wall: History, Exhibition, and Application of the Hyrtl Skull Collection at the Mutter Museum" - has been cited in several published works. She has worked in museums and archives throughout the United States. Her work on the permanent exhibit "Becoming Johnson County" at the Johnson County Museum helped earn the exhibit an Award of Excellence from the American Association of State and Local History. Besides the Dust Bowl, Katie also gives talks on the history of Spiritualism through the Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau.

Jesse Bell

Dr. Jesse E. Bell is the Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate, and Health in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the School of Natural Resources within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is the director of the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC and the director of Water, Climate and Health at the University of Nebraska’s Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute.

The mission of these programs is to develop interdisciplinary research, education and collaborative solutions to public health challenges associated with environmental issues in Nebraska and around the world. As the founding director, he has helped grow these programs to over 25 faculty, staff, and students. His expertise and research are focused on understanding how human and natural processes are connected to changes in the environment and climate.

Before coming to UNMC, Dr. Bell developed and served in an interagency position between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During his time in this role, his work built the foundation for novel and innovative approaches to use climate data to assist with health research. He was able to unite each organization's efforts toward better understanding the impact of climate change on health.

Dr. Bell has also authored more than 70 scientific articles and technical reports, including serving as a lead author for the U.S. Global Change Research Program report “The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment” that was released by the White House in 2016 and an author of Human Health chapter for the congressionally mandated Fifth National Climate Assessment. Dr. Bell is a native Nebraskan and received his Ph.D. is from the University of Oklahoma.