My scientific and policy research interests are guided by the recognition that, over the last two centuries, human civilization has become a geological force; we are inducing planetary environmental conditions like those that Earth has not experienced for millions of years.

My scientific research focuses on employing statistical and process models to integrate diverse geological data sets, with the proximal goal of improving understanding of past Earth system states and the ultimate goals of testing and strengthening models of future global change. Two areas of particular emphasis at the moment are (1) using records of past sea level changes to improve estimates of ice sheet stability, and (2) quantifying uncertainty in Cenozoic estimates of paleo-carbon dioxide concentrations and paleo-temperature, so as to better characterize the constraints these records place on climate sensitivity.

Prior to joining the Rutgers faculty, I served as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Office of Policy and International Affairs. My work at DOE focused in part on strengthening the interface between Earth science and climate policy -- for instance, developing approaches for incorporating climate change impacts into policy and regulatory analysis -- and in part on delivering international policy solutions to promote energy efficiency through fora such as the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM). At DOE, I played a leading role in the development and launch of the CEM's appliance and equipment efficiency effort, the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment initiative.

Prior to this fellowship, I was a Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy postdoctoral research fellow in Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs and its Department of Geosciences. I received my Ph.D. in geobiology from Caltech in 2007 and my S.B. in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago in 2002.