BA, Macalester College
MS, University of Wyoming
PhD, Yale University
My research has recently focused on understanding the paleoclimate of Madagascar and the evolution of the Indian Ocean Monsoon during the Pleistocene and Holocene. I use stable isotopes as well as organic geochemistry (molecular fossils) from speleothems and lake sediments to characterize vegetation change, precipitation, and temperature fluctuations in the past. I work closely with anthropologists who are studying whether megafauna extinctions in Madagascar were driven by climate or human activity. I've also worked on questions like; what were the body temperatures of extinct dinosaurs; how hot was it during past greenhouse climates? and when did the Andes reach their current elevation? Learning about the Earth makes me feel more connected to it and others. I'm always looking for interested undergraduates to get involved with my research. I'm currently working with a student on a project investigating the geochemistry of "man-made" stalactites called calthemites.
Paleoclimate, Geochemistry, Paleoecology