The Earth system is a complex energetic engine. Understanding that system requires understanding the dynamics and interactions of its constituents: the atmosphere, oceans, land, and cryosphere. I aim to understand the mechanisms by which Earth’s climate system evolves through time, through the compilation and objective analysis of geochemical proxy records and synthesis with climate-system modeling. My interest in geochemical systems is primarily through the lens of proxies and how the Earth’s climate is imprinted upon natural archives. Ive worked extensively on ice core records, stable isotope ratios of water in particular, making laboratory and field measurements, and develop numerical models to aid interpretation. Two questions stand out to me as critical to understanding the Earth’s past and future: 1) how do coupled interactions between components of the climate system drive internal variability, 2) what are the fundamental processes driving polar amplification?
GEOL 1060 - Global Change: An Earth Science Perspective
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Focuses on evidence for planetary warming, climate change, glacier and ice-sheet melting and sea level rise both now and in the recent past. Attempts to develop understanding of the interactions within the coupled Earth system that regulate such changes. Utilizes examples from the geological and instrumental records, and evaluates the global warming forecast.
GEOL 1170 - Our Deadly Planet
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020
This course investigates those events so dramatic and catastrophic that they have left evidence in the geologic record that suggest they significantly impacted life on the planet. These include. but are not limited to, violent volcanic eruptions, mega-earthquakes and associated tsunamis, landslides and sector collapse on volcanoes, megafloods, rapid climatic change, superstorms, and impacts from asteroids and comets. The intent is to use examples from recent events and processes to frame and interpret evidence for these types of events observed in the rock record.
GEOL 3040 - Global Change: The Recent Geological Record
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023
Geological records in lakes, oceans, deserts, and around glaciers indicate the significant changes in the global systems that have taken place over the last few hundred or thousand years. Explores the timing and nature of these changes. Department enforced prerequisites: any two-course sequence of natural science core courses.
GEOL 4725 - Field Based Special Topics in Geoscience
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2024
Explores selected geological subjects of special interest in a field setting. May be repeated up to 8 total credit hours. Same as GEOL 5725.
GEOL 5700 - Geological Topics Seminar
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Offers seminar studies in geological subjects of special current interest. Primarily for graduate students, as departmental staff and facilities permit. May be repeated up to 15 total credit hours provided that topics vary.
