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.

In my free time I enjoy cycling, photography, and spending time with my dog Freya.

B.A. Macalester College 2011 | M.A. Columbia University 2013 | Ph.D. Columbia University 2017 | Voss Postdoctoral Fellow Brown University 2018-2019

Current Members of the FOR@M

Ella Powers ‘27 (Research Assistant + Summer RA)

Ella Powers is a sophomore Environmental Studies and ECSC joint major from Hamden, CT. In the FOR@M, she is working on a multicore from the Iceland Basin (CE23011). By analyzing the oxygen isotopes of the polar foraminifera species Globigerina bulloides she plans to create a high-resolution climate reconstruction spanning the last glacial cycle. Ella is interested in international environmental policy related to our oceans and working with all stakeholders to implement sustainable solutions. In her free time, Ella enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to music, and making art, both edible and nonedible!

Hope Jerris ‘25.5 (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.

Past Members of the FOR@M

Maya Millner ‘26.5 (Summer Research Assistant)

Anne Thompson ‘26.5 (Summer Research Assistant)

Sam Millay ‘26 (Research Assistant)

Lake Willett ‘25.5 (Research Assistant)

Piper Harring ‘25 (Independent Study)

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

Elle Thompson ‘25 (Research Assistant)

Theresa Barth ‘24 (Research Assistant)

Molly Klingner ‘24 (Independent Study)

Lily Applebaum ‘23.5 (Research Assistant)

Amanda Manoogian ‘23.5 (Research Assistant)

Sam Messina ‘23.5 (Senior Thesis)

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

Kyra McClean ‘23 (Senior Thesis)

Raffi Najarian ‘23 (Senior Thesis)

Shane Lusk ‘22 (Senior Thesis)

Rachel Nahirny ‘21.5 (Senior Thesis)