In 2019, Jerry received undergraduate degrees in both economics and petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma. After graduating, he remained at OU, where he is now pursuing a master's degree in petroleum engineering. As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, he is particularly interested in how native populations are handling and affected by energy transition. Because of this, his research is focused on the geothermal potential of native lands in an area of Oklahoma known as Indian Country. After completing his master's, he hopes to help his tribe meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions by working with tribal leaders to utilize geothermal in addition to the renewable energy resources they've already begun implementing.