Teaching Interests: Marine biogeochemistry, physical oceanography, global biogeochemical cycles.

I have diverse research interests in the field of oceanography. A central focus of my research is the role of the ocean in global biogeochemical cycles and climate. The marine carbon cycle, through its affect on atmospheric CO₂ levels, provides the motivation for much of this research. I make inferences about the marine carbon cycle by synthesizing and analyzing large data sets for carbon dioxide and related chemical species, particularly dissolved oxygen and nutrients. I often use numerical models to interpret these observational data sets. I am also interested in the air-sea fluxes of gases that influence atmospheric chemistry, such as carbon monoxide and carbonyl sulfide. Paleoceanography is another interest of mine, particularly the role of continental configuration on ocean circulation during the Cenozoic. Finally, I am conducting research on the physical and biogeochemical dynamics of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, and am particularly interested in the effect of anthropogenic activity on these systems.

Graduate Students: You may have heard of the ocean's impact on climate through such phenomena as El Niño, but did you realize that many greenhouse gases are strongly affected by processes within the ocean? The marine cycles of carbon dioxide and related chemical species like oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus, are my main professional preoccupation. Working with me you will get to explore these and other marine biogeochemical cycles by building computer models, analyzing large data sets and making observations at sea.