Earth and Environmental Sciences

As a recent recipient of an undergraduate research fellowship, Jack Singer '15 is spending his summer at Wesleyan studying the geochemical evolution of the moon. The fellowship, supported by the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium, comes with a $5,000 award. Grantees are expected to work on research related to space/aerospace science or engineering under the guidance of a faculty member or a mentor from industry. For the next three months, Singer will work on various research projects with his advisor James Greenwood, assistant professor of earth and environmental science. Singer will first prepare a fragmented lunar sample (Apollo 12035,76) for…

Ellen Thomas, research professor of earth and environmental sciences, is the author of a paper titled "Rapid and sustained surface ocean acidification during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum," published in Paleoceanography, May 2014. In this paper Thomas and her colleagues document that ocean acidification of the surface ocean not only occurred during past times of global warming and high CO2 levels, but also by how much — about 0.3 pH units. The group studied planktic foraminifers from a drill site in the North Pacific. Thomas' study has been highlighted in a press release from Columbia University and also on Phys.org.

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences James “Jim” Greenwood has received a $331,000 grant from NASA to support his research on the moon’s water. His proposed research, tracking water in rock samples brought back by the Apollo missions, will “take a giant leap towards solving one of the most important questions in planetary science – whether the Moon is wet or dry,” Greenwood said. “We’ll be studying pockets of glass trapped in early and late-crystallizing minerals in lunar mare basalt samples,” Greenwood said. “We will measure water and other volatile elements in these trapped melt pockets to reconstruct the…

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Ellen Thomas, research professor of earth and environmental sciences, is the co-author of a paper titled "Carbon Sequestration during the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum by an Efficient Biological Pump," published in the April 2014 edition of Nature Geoscience. In the paper, Thomas explains how ocean-dwelling bacteria may have vacuumed up carbon and halted a period of extreme warmth some 56 million years ago. The finding suggests how Earth might once have rapidly reversed a runaway greenhouse effect. Its effect on global oceanic productivity is controversial. In the paper, Thomas and her colleagues present records of marine barite accumulation rates that show distinct peaks during…

James "Jim" Greenwood, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, and four colleagues have published a paper that casts doubt on the theory of abundant water on the moon while simultaneously boosting theories around the creation of the moon, several billion years ago. The paper, “The Lunar Apatite Paradox,” published March 20 in the prestigious journal Science, stems from work involving the mineral apatite, the most abundant phosphate in the solar system. (Along with its presence on planets, it’s found in teeth and bones.) Initial work on the lunar rocks brought back to Earth by the Apollo missions indicated that…

Two faculty, one student and one alumnus made paper presentations at the 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Tex., March 17-21. The Planetary Science Conference brings together international specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology and astronomy to present the latest results of research in planetary science. The five-day conference included topical symposia and problem-oriented sessions. During the conference, Marty Gilmore, chair and associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, presented a paper on the "Venus Exploration Roadmap to the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG)" on March 20. James Greenwood, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, presented "Hydrogen Isotopes of…

Marty Gilmore, associate professor of earth and environmental studies, will present her work with the MARS Rover missions on Tuesday, April 8 at the final Science of Screen of the year. The monthly Science on Screen events pair local scientists with screenings of popular movies. Gilmore’s presentation of her research will begin at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a screening of Mission to Mars. Gilmore’s primary research involves using images of the surface of Mars and Venus to interpret geological processes and history. For example, her research includes searching for clues regarding where and when there might have…

James "Jim" Greenwood, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, and four colleagues have co-authored a paper titled “The Lunar Apatite Paradox,” published in the journal Science on March 20. The study casts doubt on the theory of abundant water on the moon while simultaneously boosting theories around the creation of the moon, several billion years ago.

Over the summer, Nishaila Porter ’15 worked on a research project as a 2013 Diversity Intern at Columbia University. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program and the U.S. Implementing Organization cosponsored the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory Summer Intern Program at Columbia University for the second consecutive year. The goal of the Columbia University Diversity Internship is to “expose minority students to careers in scientific ocean drilling by providing them with a 10–12 week educational and career building experience.” Current interns work with mentors on research projects using scientific ocean drilling data. While working on the project, titled “Which Marine Fossil Assemblages…

On Nov. 20, Zoe Mueller '13 spoke about "GIS in the Real World: How to Land a GIS Job" during National Geography Awareness Week celebrations at Wesleyan. GIS (geographic information systems) allow users to visualize, question, analyze, interpret, model and understand data to reveal relationships, patterns and trends. Mueller spoke to current students about careers in GIS, differences between non-profit and for-profit work, and applications of GIS outside of academia. Wesleyan's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences also sponsored multiple events in honor of National Geography Awareness Week, including a crowdsourced GIS map and geocaching scavenger hunt.

Joop Varekamp and Ellen Thomas are the authors of three chapters included in a reference volume for Long Island Sound. The book, Long Island Sound: Prospects for the Urban Sea, is published by Springer in 2013. Varekamp is the Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, professor of earth and environmental sciences, professor of environmental studies. Thomas is research professor of earth and environmental sciences. Varekamp co-authored a chapter titled "Metals, Organic Compounds and Nutrients in Long Island Sound: Sources, Magnitudes, Trends and Impacts," and another chapter titled "The Physical Oceanography of Long Island Sound." Thomas co-authored a chapter titled…

Singer ’15 to Study Moon Rocks as Connecticut Space Grant Fellow

Thomas’s Paper Published in Paleoceanography

NASA Supports Greenwood’s Research on the Moon’s Water

Earth Month Celebrated with “Earth Rant,” Earth Fest, Climate Conference

Thomas’s Paper Published in Nature Geoscience

Greenwood, Colleagues Debunk Sloshy Lunar Theory

Gilmore, Greenwood, Martin ’14, Dottin ’13 Attend Planetary Science Conference

Gilmore to Present Research before Film Screening in Hartford

Greenwood’s Study Published in Science

Porter ’15 Works as Diversity Intern with Ocean Drilling Program

Mueller ’13 Speaks about Landing GIS Jobs, GIS Applications

Varekamp, Thomas Author Chapters on Long Island Sound Reference Volume