Andrew Tirrell is an American lawyer, professor, and a former champion on the televised game show Jeopardy!.
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Career in Law and International Development[]
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University in 2002 in Classics and History, Tirrell received his JD from Columbia Law School. He then practiced litigation with the law firm Arent Fox Schiff, before joining the civil rights organization Advocates for Children (NYC) as a staff attorney, practicing human rights law in Central America, and serving as a consultant to the international development organization Plan International in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, and Thailand.
Career in Academia[]
Tirrell is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations and of Law at the University of San Diego, where he also directs the graduate program in International Relations. He previously taught at Boston College, Tufts University, and Harvard University. Tirrell studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he received a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a PhD in International Relations. His research, publications, and teaching focus on environmental governance, human rights, and natural resource management. Tirrell is also a research fellow at both the Global Development and Environment Institute and the Brown University Climate Social Science Network.
Jeopardy! Appearances[]
Tirrell's first appearance on Jeopardy! was in Season 39 on December 6th, 2022, when he defeated 21-time champion Cris Pannullo. He came in second place to Ron Cheung in the next airing of the show. Tirrell was subsequently invited to take part in the Season 39 Champions Wildcard Tournament in January of 2024. He won both of his quarterfinal and semifinal matches, finishing as first runner-up to Juveria Zaheer in the tournament, and winning $50,000. He then served as the alternate for the 2024 Tournament of Champions in February and March of that year. During the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, it was noted that he was the only contestant to correctly answer any Final Jeopardy clues across all of his six appearances on the show.
Personal Life[]
During his first-day Jeopardy! contestant chat, Tirrell discussed the fisheries research he conducted in Arctic Norway, while his second-day contestant chat revealed his plans to use part of his winnings to start backyard beekeeping with his son, Theo.