David McGee

David McGee serves as Associate Professor in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, where he has been faculty since 2012. After earning his PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Columbia University, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship jointly at the University of Minnesota and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory before joining MIT. His innovative research focuses on understanding the atmosphere's response to past climate changes by analyzing geochemical measurements from stalagmites, lake deposits, and marine sediments. His primary research tool involves uranium-series isotope measurements, which enable precise dating of geological materials and help reconstruct ancient wind patterns and dust transport. Through his work interpreting these records alongside climate models and theory, he provides crucial insights into the patterns, pace, and magnitude of past climate changes, particularly focusing on precipitation and wind patterns. His research continues to advance our understanding of how Earth's climate system responds to various forcing mechanisms, contributing to better predictions of future climate changes.