Bio
Research Interests
I am a broadly trained geoscientist who is interested in using geochemical and sclerochronological techniques to document (and better understand) changes in Earth’s climate and ecosystems through time. I particularly enjoy developing and using proxy archives to unravel past environments. For my research, I primarily utilize light stable isotopes in both biogenic and inorganic carbonates. I direct the Stable Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences.
Current Research
- Error Estimation Methods using Proxy Archives
- Climate variability and mechanisms of climate change with a focus on mid-to-high latitudes.
- Dynamics of atmospheric and oceanic shifts in the North Atlantic region during recent climate anomalies, especially during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Little Ice Age transition.
- Carbon dynamics, cycling, and anthropogenic impacts (e.g., ocean acidification, 13C Suess effect) on Earth systems. Radiocarbon as a tracer of ocean circulation.
- Paleohydroclimate using oxygen and carbon isotopes derived from speleothems.
- Isotope geochemistry and clumped isotope geochemistry in biogenic carbonates.
- Biomineralization in carbonates, and the development of new geochemical techniques and proxies using mollusks, corals, and corallines.
- Sclerochronology and isotope geochemistry of long-lived biogenic carbonates, and the development of advanced sclerochronology techniques.
- Development of paleothermometry techniques using the isotope and elemental geochemistry from biocarbonates.