Kaustubh Thirumalai

Assistant Professor

Climate Change, Paleoceanography, Inorganic Geochemistry

My research focuses on Earth's climate variability and paleoceanography. I am interested in learning about the causes and mechanisms of past fluctuations in the ocean and atmosphere, and how such information can help us anticipate future changes. To do so, I use a combination of observations, geochemical proxy measurements, and modeling simulations to identify and investigate important processes at play in the Earth-climate system. Primarily, my work involves stable isotopic and trace metal geochemistry of (mainly) carbonate archives (e.g. corals/foraminifera/snails/stalagmites) as well as the analysis of climate model simulations. I am also interested in extreme climate events and hazards (earthquakes, flooding, heatwaves, sea-level changes), and how the geological record can help inform future projections.  

Ongoing research projects include Indo-Pacific climate change, reconstructing Atlantic Ocean circulation anomalies, Indian paleomonsoon variability, and uncertainty in proxy-model comparisons. Please email reach out via email if you’re an undergraduate student seeking research experience, a potential M.S./Ph.D. student, or if you’d like to explore postdoctoral options.

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