Explore a Career in theEarth Sciences

ContactOffice of Academic Affairs & Diversity

LDEO DirectorateLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

The Earth Institute at Columbia University61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964

www.ldeo.columbia.edu

R/V Vema 1953-1981The Vema collected much of the bathymetry and paleomagnetic data that was pivotal to the early proof of seafloor spreading.

Our MissionLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University seeks fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world. We study the Earth from its deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational basis for the difficult choices facing humanity.

Our HistorySince its founding in 1949, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory has been a leader in the Earth Sciences. Its scientists were the first to map the seafloor and develop a model that could predict an El Nino weather event, the first to provide concrete proof for the theory of plate tectonics and to reveal the oceans’ role in triggering abrupt climate change. With each year, our understanding of Earth improves. Yet, new discoveries await us. It is that next insight on the horizon that keeps our researchers excited to learn more about how and why Earth changes as it does. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is a core component of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Our Research

AtmosphericScienceOuratmosphericscientistsandfacultystudyweatherandclimate,includingtornadoes,hurricanes,tropicalcyclones,severestorms,theroleoftheatmosphereinclimatechange,andhowtheseimpactEarthandsocietyatlarge.Welookatfundamentalprocessesoftheatmosphereanditsinteractionswiththeoceansandbiosphere,withtimescalesrangingfromhourstomillennia.Westudytropicalconvectionanddynamics,airqualityandcontaminanttransport,stormtracks,jetstreams,andcouplingbetweenradiative,chemicalanddynamicalprocesses.BiogeosciencesHowlivingorganismsevolveaffectstheecological,physicalandchemicalcompositionofthebiosphereandthegeosphere.Ourbiogeoscientistsstudytheinteractionofbiologicalprocesseswithgeologicalandgeochemicalones.Westudybiodiversityandecosystems,ecologicalresponsestoclimatechange,biogeochemicalcyclingandstorageofnutrientsandcarbon,plantphysiologyandbiooptics(aquaticandterrestrial)tobetterunderstandclimateandEarth’shistory.Weworkinecology,biologicaloceanography,evolutionarybiology,biogeochemistry,andpaleobiology.

Dendrochronology

Treeringsshedlightontheageofthetreeandthelocalclimaticconditionsexperiencedinitslifetime.Ourscientistsandfacultystudytreeringstolearnaboutpastclimateandenvironmentalhistory,andthenpiecetogetherthisinformationtostudytheEarth’shistoryandexploreanthropogenicvs.naturalclimatechange.CoreRepository

TheLamont-DohertyCoreRepositorycontainsoneofthemostuniqueandimportantcollectionsofdeepseasedimentcoresintheworld,takenfromeverymajoroceanandsea.Contentssuchasash,dust,pollenandmicrobesinthecoresprovidevaluableinsightsintopastclimateandenvironmentalconditionsgoingbackmillionsofyears.RadiocarbonDating

Ourscientistsandfacultyuseradiocarbondatingtodeterminetheageoforganicmatterbasedonitscarboncontent.Plantstakeincarbondioxidethroughphotosynthesis;animalseatplantsandgeteatenbyotheranimals;andinthiswaycarbonfollowsthefoodchain,buildingupinsideplantsandanimalsoverthecourseoftheirlife.Radiocarbondatinghelpsusshedlightonlivingorganismsfromthousandsofyearsago.

Geology/PaleontologyWhatcausedtheArizonaWave?Howaregraniteandquartzdifferentfrombasaltandobsidian?GeologistsandpaleontologistsatLamontexploreprocessesrecordedintherockrecord,includingsedimentary,structural,igneous,marine,planetaryandglacialgeology;paleontologyandgeobiology.Areasofresearchincludefaultingandcrustaldeformationwithinthelithosphereandalongtectonicplateboundaries,subductionzoneprocesses,arcmagmatism,glacialandlandslidegeomorphology,thestructureandevolutionofdeeplyexhumedrocks,andtheevolutionoflife.GeophysicsOurgeophysicistsstudythebroadrangeofphysicalprocessesaffectingthesolidEarth,fromthecore,mantleandcrusttothecryosphere.Wefocusonunderstandingplate-tectonicprocessesinmarineandterrestrialsettings,determiningthestructureoftheEarth’sinterior,andunderstandingearthquakeandvolcanodynamics.Westudymechanismsforice,magmaandsedimenttransportandfortheexchangeofmassbetweenthesolidEarthanditsfluidenvelope.Wearealsoconcernedwiththestudyofnaturalhazardsandassociatedrisks,hydrocarbonexplorationandextraction,andexplosionandearthquakemonitoringfortheverificationofnucleartestbantreaties.GeochemistryWhatmakesdiamondssohard?Howdoesarsenicenterdrinkingwater?AndwhydothingsfloatsoeasilyontheDeadSea?OurgeochemistsasksomeofthesequestionsastheystudytheEarth’schemicalcomposition,physicalstructure,processesandinteractions.Thisincludesthestudyofchemicalsinmineralsandrocks,andtheirinteractionswiththegeochemicalenvironment(air,soil,water),theEarth’sinterior,andhumanhealth.

OceanographyMorethantwothirdsoftheEarth’ssurfaceiscoveredbyoceansyettheyremainlargelyinaccessible.Howdopolaricesheetsimpactsealevelrise?Whyaretheremountainsundertheocean,andwhatdoestheworldoceanfloorlooklike?Howdochangesinoceancirculationimpactterrestrialenvironments?Thesearesomequestionsouroceanographersask.Ourgeologicaloceanographersstudytheoceanflooranditsmountainsandcanyons,sheddinglightonmillionsofyearsofoceanhistory;ourchemicaloceanographersstudythecompositionofseawateranditsinteractionswiththeseafloorandtheatmosphere;ourbiologicaloceanographersstudyoceanlifeandmarineorganisms.MarineOperationsInthedeepest,darkestinteriorsoftheocean,whereevensunlightcannotpenetrate,ourResearchVesselMarcusG.Langseth,anationalseismicresearchfacility,employsasophisticatedseismicsystemutilizingsoundwavestocreatemapsandimagesoftheEarth’sstructuremilesbelowtheseafloor.ScientistsfromallovertheworldparticipateinresearchprogramsaboardtheR/VLangseth,whichisadesignatedNationalFacility,highlightingitskeyroleinservingabroadcommunitybyprovidingauniquecapabilitytoimagebeneaththeoceans.

SeismologyandTectonophysicsWhydovolcanoeserupt?Whydoearthquakesoccur?Howcanwepredictthesethingstohelpsociety?Thesearesomeofthequestionsthatourseismologistsask.Theystudynaturalhazardssuchasearthquakes,volcanoes,tsunamisandlandslides.Lamontisattheforefrontofseismology,solidEarthdynamics,rockmechanics,structuralgeologyandtectonics,andsedimentarygeology,andismakingsignificantcontributionstothestudyofearthquakes,thestructureoftheEarth’scrust,mantle,andcore,andthelarge-scalemotionsanddeformationofthetectonicplates.Ourscientistsandfacultyalsoservethenationandtheworldbypursuingappliedresearchandprovidingadvicetonationalandinternationalorganizationsinthecriticalareaofreducingsociety'svulnerabilitytonaturalhazards.GeodynamicsOurGeodynamicsresearchisfocusedonunderstandingtheforcesanddynamicprocessesandphenomenathatdrivedeformationandtectonisminthesolidEarth,andtherolethatrockrheology,physicalstate(solidorpartiallymolten),andcompositionplayincontrollingsuchdeformation.OceanBottomSeismologyOurOceanBottomSeismology(OBS)Laboratorydevelopsandoperatescutting-edgeinstrumentationformeasuringdeformationoftheoceanfloorinavarietyofexperimentalsettings.Thesecomplexinstrumentsmustbeabletodroptotheseafloor,recordearthquakesforayearandthenreturntothesurfaceoncommand.TherecordeddataisusedtostudystructuresandsurfacesdeepwithintheEarth’scrustandmantle,includingseafloorearthquakesandfaulting,Earth’shotspots(e.g.HawaiiandIceland)andthesupplyofmagmatoformoceanicridges.

Our Educational Programs GraduateStudies

•  Ph.D.inEarth&EnvironmentalSciences•  Ph.D.inSustainableDevelopment•  Ph.D.inEcologyandEvolutionaryBiology•  M.S.inSustainabilityScience•  M.S.inSustainabilityManagement•  M.A.inClimateandSociety•  M.P.A.inEnvironmentalScience,PolicyandManagementUndergraduateStudies

ProgramsinareasrelatedtoEarthandtheenvironment:•  Dept.ofEarthandEnvironmentalSciencesoffersmajors

andconcentrationsinEarthandEnvironmentalScience.•  Dept.ofEcology,EvolutionandEnvironmentalBiology

offersamajorandconcentrationinEnvironmentalBiology.

•  Dept.ofEarthandEnvironmentalEngineeringoffersamajorinEarthandEnvironmentalEngineering.

•  BarnardCollegeoffersmajorsandminorsinEnvironmentalScience,EnvironmentalBiology,andEnvironmentalPolicy.

SummerInternPrograms

•  LamontSummerInternProgram:forstudentsfromU.S.collegesanduniversities.

•  Earth Intern Program: for students from Columbia andBarnard.

•  Secondary School Field Research Program: for highschoolandundergraduatestudents

FormoreinfoonourEducation,Outreach,andProfessionalDevelopmentprogramsvisit:www.ldeo.columbia.edu/educationwww.eesc.columbia.edu

Careers in the Earth Sciences

Jobs:TheU.S.BureauofLaborStatisticshasprojecteda10%increaseingeosciencesjobsfrom2014to2024.Inrecentyears,theimprovedemploymentprospectsforgeoscientistshasspurredenrollmentingeosciencedegrees.Theneedforenergy,environmentalprotection,andresponsiblelandandresourcemanagementisexpectedtospurdemandforgeoscientistsinthefuture.Thesejobsincludeeducation;state,localandfederalgovernment;management;professional,scientificandtechnicalservices;oilandgasextraction;mining;andothersupportservices*.Preparation:MostcareersintheEarthSciencesrequireagraduatedegreeintheEarthSciencesorarelatedfieldsuchasphysicsorchemistryorbiology.Funding:Otherthanloans,therearevariouswaystofinanceyourgeoscienceseducation,suchasscholarships,researchgrants,need-basedgrants,academicawards,andteaching&researchassistantships.Visitwww.eesc.columbia.eduforColumbia-specificinformationorAGI(seebelow)forgeosciencesfundinginformation.Salaries:AtLamont,weoffercompetitivesalaries,withthestartingannualsalaryforapostdoctoralscientistat$65,000.Nationwide,salariesforgeoscienceoccupationshaveincreased3%since2012,andgeoscienceoccupationshavemediansalariesabovetheoverallmediansalaryintheUSforalloccupations*.AfulllistofgeosciencesalariescanbefoundintheAGIStatusoftheGeoscienceWorkforce2016report,whichusesdatafromtheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.*Source:U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,andAGIStatusoftheGeoscienceWorkforce2016.

Notes

Contact:OfficeofAcademicAffairs&Diversity,LDEODirectorate,Lamont-DohertyEarthObservatory,ColumbiaUniversity

61Route9W,PalisadesNY10964,Email:kdutt@ldeo.columbia.edu;Phone:(845)3658729Websites:www.ldeo.columbia.edu;www.ldeo.columbia.edu/academicaffairs

PhotoCredits:LDEOStaff

Explore a Career in theEarth Sciences

ContactOffice of Academic Affairs & Diversity

LDEO DirectorateLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

The Earth Institute at Columbia University61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964

www.ldeo.columbia.edu