Allison Jacobel

Dr. Allison Jacobel, Assistant Professor of Earth and Climate Sciences

Spanning a broad arc of climate system studies, my research projects to date have examined the ontogeny of modern corals, investigated tropical hydroclimate dynamics, assessed the controls on paleo productivity and deep-ocean carbon sequestration, and explored the origin of abrupt climate change events. All of these the topics share three features: they 1) further our investigation of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system, 2) employ novel biogeochemical proxies and techniques, and 3) help improve predictions of future climate change. The scientific questions that I find most compelling go beyond reconstructing paleoclimate; they elucidate the underlying drivers and mechanisms of change in the climate system.

My approach to Earth and climate science is grounded in using the chemical composition of microfossils, sediments, and organic biomarkers to reconstruct environmental conditions and processes. Specifically, I use radiogenic (U, Th, and Pa) and stable isotopes (O, C, and N), trace element ratios (e.g., Mg/Ca), elemental abundances, foraminifera assemblages, and alkenone biomarkers to reconstruct ocean properties including temperature, salinity, circulation patterns, primary productivity, carbon storage, and oxygen concentrations.

B.A. Macalester College ‘11, M.A. Columbia University ‘13, Ph.D. Columbia University ‘17, Voss Postdoctoral Fellow Brown University ‘20

Current FOR@M Members

Ashley Rodriguez ‘25 (Research Assistant, SiTrAC Scientific Party)

Ashley is currently a junior joint majoring in Biology and ECSC from East Los Angeles, California. She is currently working on examining multicore sediment from the North Atlantic that she helped to collect aboard the Celtic Explorer's on a recent cruise to Greenland (CE23011). Using oxygen isotopes of the polar foraminifera species, N. pachyderma she plans to create a high-resolution climate reconstruction of the last glacial cycle with specific focus on the 8.2ky freshwater forcing that occurred in the N. Atlantic. Ashley is also interested in bridging the gap between earth sciences and biological sciences with the goal of learning more about the potential for new climate proxies based on biological features of other marine index fossils. She also hopes to dabble in genetics soon. In her free time Ashley spends time outdoors soaking up the sun or catching a Middlebury sports game with friends

Hope Jerris ‘25 (Research Assistant)

Hope is a junior feb ECSC major from Branchburg, New Jersey. In the FOR@M she is picking and analyzing the B/Ca ratios of Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi from sediment cores from the Line Islands to reconstruct changes in deep ocean carbonate chemistry over the last glacial cycle. Hope has a newfound interest in the stories that benthic foraminifera can tell, and hopes to transfer the skills that she develops in this lab to paleo-research on salt marshes. When she’s not talking about forams, Hope can usually be found knitting or baking something sourdough.

Lake Willett ‘25 (Research Assistant)

Lake is a junior feb ECSC major from New Paltz, New York. She is currently working to develop age-depth models for sediment cores from the Line Islands using oxygen isotope stratigraphies, and examining coarse fraction percentages to help quantify dissolution. While Lake is still developing her specific research interests, she is fascinated by many things "micro" right now: how the tiny creatures and processes in aquatic environments affect larger water systems. When she's not picking forams, Lake can be found somewhere in the mountains, rain or shine!

Amanda Manoogian ‘23.5 (Research Assistant)

Amanda is a super senior Environmental Studies–ECSC joint major and English Literature minor from Washington, DC. She is currently working on a sediment core from the Line Islands, picking Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi for B/Ca analysis to reconstruct deep ocean carbonate chemistry. Amanda is broadly interested in both micropaleontology and isotope geochemistry, applying both to paleoclimate reconstructions. In her free time, Amanda enjoys yoga and drawing (with a new interest in scientific illustration).

Lily Applebaum ‘23.5 (Research Assistant)

Lily is a super senior, a major in History, minor in ECSC from Wayzata, Minnesota. She has spent two semesters and a summer with the FOR@M, developing age-depth models for sediment cores from the Line Islands using oxygen isotope stratigraphies, and examining coarse fraction percentages to help quantify dissolution. As a history major, Lily is interested in research topics that involve how the past informs the future. In her free time, Lily spends time exploring Vermont.  

Past Members of the FOR@M

Kyra McClean ‘23 (Senior Thesis)

Elle Thompson ‘25 (Research Assistant)

Theresa Barth ‘24 (Research Assistant)

Molly Klingner ‘24 (Independent Study)

Sam Messina ‘23.5 (Senior Thesis)

Hugh Easton ‘23 (Research Assistant + Summer Research Assistant)

Raffi Najarian ‘23 (Senior Thesis)

Shane Lusk ‘22 (Senior Thesis)

Rachel Nahirny ‘21.5 (Senior Thesis)