Officer Bios
(Under construction!)
(Under construction!)
"Hello all! I am an Information Science graduate student at the University of Arizona and one of the organizers of Tucson Effective Altruism (TEA)!
I first learned about EA in 2019 after reading or listening (my memory fails me here) to Peter Singer's ideas on effective giving. The concept strongly resonated with me; however, at the time I was a freshman in college with a negative net worth, I pushed EA to the back of my mind. I rediscovered EA in early 2021 after deciding to donate monthly to an animal welfare charity (a small amount, albeit). I learned about newer ideas in the EA space, such as career capital and longtermism, which made me increasingly more EA-inclined. After much deliberation, I came to realize that the idea of dedicating one's career to the most neglected and important problems was a crucial one (and one that's worth committing to)!
Previously, I did research on physical characterization of near-Earth asteroids (including potentially hazardous ones). Currently, I am exploring new research directions in AI Safety. I am motivated to pursue careers that contribute to catastrophic risk reduction and elevating the status of non-human animals. When I am not working, I am either lifting heavy things, cooking vegan food, or listening to podcasts (i.e., usually 80k Hours haha)!"
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Hi! My name is Luke Basler and I’m a first-year graduate student in Geosciences. I’m originally from western New York, and completed my undergraduate studies in Earth Sciences at Bowdoin College in Maine. I got interested in effective altruism two years ago after reading The Life We Can Save by Peter Singer.
For work, I study the million-year evolution of mountains in the western United States, focusing on how volcanism and climate interact to create high-elevation topography. Outside of geology research, I enjoy just about any sort of outdoors activity, especially skiing and hiking.