Jennifer Keller

Jennifer Keller
Jewel Staite as Jennifer Keller
First appearance	"First Strike" (Atlantis)
Last appearance	"Enemy at the Gate" (Atlantis)
Created by	Martin Gero
Portrayed by	Jewel Staite
Information
Species	Human
Occupation	Medical doctor, Chief Medical Officer of the Atlantis Expedition
Title	Doctor
Family	mother (deceased) father (alive)
Nationality	American

Dr. Jennifer Keller is a fictional character from the Canadian-American military science fiction series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series to Stargate SG-1. She is played by Canadian actress Jewel Staite, who previously played the Wraith Ellia in season two episode "Instinct". She was created by the producers, who wanted someone to fill in for Carson Beckett after Paul McGillion's departure from regular status in the series. Keller had a recurring role in the fourth season, and was later promoted to a regular in Season 5.

Dr. Keller was introduced in the third season finale, "First Strike". She is a brilliant young doctor and becomes a member of the Atlantis Expedition, and has taken charge as Atlantis' Chief Medical Officer, after the death of Dr. Carson Beckett. At first, she appears as a non-assertive character, but has proven to be courageous over time. Towards the end of the fifth season, she starts a relationship with fellow expedition member Rodney McKay. In 2008, Staite was nominated for a Gemini Award in "Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role" for her role as Keller, and in 2009, she was also nominated for a Leo Award in "Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series."

Dr. Keller was born and raised in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. A few years before joining the Atlantis Expedition her mother dies and she becomes all her father has left. She has vertigo. During her schooling years, she is three years ahead of her class, having graduated high school at the age of 15 and earns a bachelor's degree before she becomes 18. She is then trained to be a doctor, where she soon becomes Atlantis' Chief Medical Officer, with some reluctance, after the death of former Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carson Beckett. She also says that she is no Carson, but Dr. Weir assures her she will do just fine. One of her first duties is to try and save Dr Weir's life, after she is critically injured due to the Asuran beam grazing the tower before the city can escape from the Asurans. She talks with McKay and tells him that he could save her life with Replicator nanites that once infected her.