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Jeopardy! season 39 player Cris Pannullo’s 21-day winning streak came to an end in the December 6 episode. A San Diego professor named Andy Tirrell defeated the season’s highest scorer in the Final Jeopardy round.
Andy, aka Andrew, is a political science and international relations professor from San Diego, California. He made his debut on the game show on Tuesday against 21-day champion Cris. At the beginning of the episode, it seemed like Cris would once again win, but Andy’s final answer made him the winner.
Cris was leading the game until the second round, while Andy was just behind the returning player in terms of scores even after banking -$1,000 in round 1 in the December 6 episode. Unfortunately, Cris’ final round answer turned out to be incorrect and Andy’s was correct, resulting in the latter’s win.
Jeopardy! winner Andy Tirrell previously taught at Tufts and Harvard
Andrew “Andy” Tirrell is a scholar who teaches at the University of San Diego. Based on his bio in the faculty section on the university’s website, his job profile reads Associate Professor, Political Science and International Relations, and Associate Professor of Law.
He previously taught environmental policy, human rights, and natural resource management in undergraduate and graduate courses at Boston College, Tufts, and Harvard.
Andy earned his BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree in classics and history from Brandeis University. He then pursued a JD (Juris Doctor) at the Columbia University School of Law and earned a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University).
His faculty bio states:
“Dr. Tirrell teaches a range of courses related to environmental law and policy, human rights, and sustainable development. His research focuses on environmental justice, natural resource management, marine policy, and the Arctic.”
It continues:
“His current projects engage with environmental politics in border regions, fisheries management policy, and the role of institutions in coupled human-natural systems. Professor Tirrell enjoys collaborating with students on research, including advising theses and capstone projects, and co-authoring publications.”
Over the years, he has published multiple journal articles on fisheries management and climate change. Andy is also an author who has worked on book chapters and projects focusing on similar topics.
He broke the record on his debut appearance in Jeopardy! season 39 by defeating the 21-day champion, Cris Pannullo. The show’s fans congratulated the professor on Twitter
Andy shares his Jeopardy! experience
In a clip shared on the University of San Diego’s Facebook page, Andy talked about his experience on Jeopardy!. He mentioned being frustrated while getting the hang of the signaling device.
Andy said:
“It was overwhelming to be honest. It was super fun, but also it was really hectic. I feel like I blacked out for a while. I mean I tried to remember back like what happened. If I am honest, it’s patchy because you’ve so much adrenaline going, and I didn’t realize this that everyone was trying to buzz the whole time. And it’s all about timing you know. You have to wait for that split second reaction, they put on the light and you have to be the first one who buzzes in, it can be very frustrating.”
He further mentioned that he used to watch Jeopardy! as a kid with his mother and used to think that someday he might participate in the game.
The San Diego professor played against 21-day winner Cris Pannullo and new player Meghan Mello (an athletic trainer from North Smithfield, Rhode Island) on the Ken Jennings-hosted show.
In the first round, Andy’s score went negative, but he soon recovered in round 2. In the final round, he was the only player who gave the correct answer to the final question. He won the December 6 episode of Jeopardy!, banking $15,399 in his first game.
Andy will return to defend his win in the game show's next episode, which will air on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
