The real star of the show, G. ruber
I study climate variability of the past 2000 years, ENSO, and the hydrology of the Eastern Tropical Pacific by looking at δ18O in foraminifera (G. ruber, by and large). I’m working with Tom Koutavas at the College of Staten Island, through the CUNY Graduate Center. I’m currently looking at individual G. ruber from a site in the Eastern Tropical Pacific to determine ENSO variability. We do much of our lab work at the stable isotope lab at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades. And yes, every time I go up there, I have this song in my head.
The author. Younger, with better hair. 1977 Fender Jazz bass, for scale.
Academically, I’ve been at this whole thing a while. My BS is from the University of Rochester (NY) in Biology and Geology. At the time, I wanted to be a geologist, but instead I took up rock and roll. After years as a bass player and a web guy, I went back to Environmental Science, starting grad school part-time at CSI in 2007. After 2 years I transferred to Rutgers (New Brunswick) and finished my MS Thesis there. My thesis was on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination in and Around the Arthur Kill. While finishing my Thesis, I came back to the Earth and Environmental Science department at the CUNY Grad Center to study oceanography/paleoclimatology. I’ve been at that since.
The author and Leo by the Puddingstone Boulder, Watchung Reservation, September 2014
When I’m not squinting through a microscope at forams, running analyses up at LDEO or doing statistics, I play ice hockey at Chelsea Piers in NYC. I also still play the bass, although not as much as I used to. I did teach myself to play the guitar, which is fun, and I really ought to do that more. I have a cat that I adopted from the bathroom of a pet shop, and two dogs who spend part of their time with me (it’s a long story). Luna is almost 14 and still acts like a puppy, although she’s lost a few steps over the years (haven’t we all?). Luna lived to be a happy 14, and sadly died in January 2014. Leo is now 11 and a two-time cancer survivor. He and I spend as much time as we can hiking and exploring, from the East Hudson Highlands to the Adirondaks.
