Jessica Polka, PhD

My goal is to accelerate scientific discovery by improving how researchers communicate and collaborate.

At MIT Open Learning, I work to expand access to knowledge and strengthen the open knowledge ecosystem. Previously, as Open Science Program Director at Astera Institute, I supported entrepreneurs building new technologies for openly sharing knowledge. Before that, as founding Executive Director of ASAPbio, I led a researcher-driven nonprofit to advance the use of preprints and open peer review in the life sciences.

My interest in improving biomedical research communication stems from my academic background in biochemistry and synthetic biology, with a PhD from UCSF and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.