William J. D’Andrea
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Lamont Associate Research Professor
Director, LDEO Organic Geochemistry Facility
Understand the past and plan for the future
I am a paleoclimatologist, organic geochemist, and sedimentologist who uses the geologic record to understand how Earth’s climate has operated in the past. Earth’s history is recorded in exquisite detail in the world’s sediments and my research group works to recover, read, and understand this history.
The earth can change fast.
It is happening right now because of our use of fossil fuels. Abrupt and gradual climate changes have happened before due to natural processes. If we can identify and understand past climate changes we can better anticipate the many challenges coming our way in the near future. Paleoclimate research is the key to understanding how Earth’s climate system operates and fluctuates.
