Large Lakes Observatory

Faculty Directory

Jay Austin, Assistant Professor of Physics and the Large Lakes Observatory.
PhD in Physical Oceanography, 1999, MIT/WHOI Joint Program
Circulation of coastal shelves, estuaries and large lakes, using direct observation and numerical modeling.

Erik T. Brown, Professor of Geological Sciences and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Oceanography, 1990, MIT/WHOI Joint Program
Sedimentary and aquatic geochemistry, trace metal cycling in large lakes, cosmogenic radionuclides, geochronology of surficial deposits.

Steven M. Colman, Professor of Geological Sciences and Director, Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Geology, 1977, University of Colorado
Quaternary stratigraphy and geochronolgy in terrestrial, lacustrine, and nearshore marine environments. Paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental records from the sediments of large lakes and estuaries.

Stephanie Guildford, Assistant Professor of Biology and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Botany, 1996, University of Manitoba
Phytoplankton and nutrient dynamics with a focus on the health and productivity of African and North American great lakes.

Robert Hecky, Professor of Biology and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Zoology, 1971, Duke University
Nutrient and carbon cycling in aquatic systems; limnology and paleolimnology of the African Great Lakes; phytoplankton-nutrient interactions; nutrient biogeochemistry; stable isotope applications to ecology; Hg and organochlorine contamination of food webs.

Thomas C. Johnson, Professor of Geological Sciences and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Oceanography, 1975, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Sedimentary processes in large lakes, paleoclimatology and paleolimnology.

Sergei Katsev, Assistant Professor of Physics and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Physics, 2002, University of Ottawa
Sediment early diagenesis, coupling between sediment and water column, predictive and exploratory modeling.

Koushik Dutta, Research Associate and Stable Isotope Lab manager, Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Geology, 2001, Physical Research Laboratory
Applications of radiocarbon in earth sciences and archaeology; biogeochemistry of permafrost ecosystems; multidecadal climate variability.

Elizabeth C. Minor, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, 1998, MIT/WHOI Joint Program
Organic biogeochemistry, especially the composition and fate of organic matter in aquatic systems.

Doug Ricketts, Research Associate, Marine Superintendent and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences.
Ph.D. in Geology, 1996, Duke University.
Stable isotope geochemistry and paleoclimate.

Nigel J. Wattrus, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Geophysics, 1984, University of Minnesota
Marine geophysics: acoustic remote sensing of lake basins using high-resolution, digital, seismic reflection profiling and multi-beam bathymetric systems.

Josef P. Werne, Associate Professor of Chemistry and the Large Lakes Observatory.
Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, 2000, Northwestern University
Organic and Isotopic Biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, organic sulfur geochemistry, biogeochemical isotopic fractionation processes, global biogeochemical cycles, paleo-limnology/-oceanography/-climate, geomicrobiology/microbial geochemistry

Adjunct Faculty

Donn Branstrator, Associate Professor of Biology.
Ph.D., 1993, University of Michigan

Christina Gallup, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences.
Ph.D., 1997, University of Minnesota

Randall Hicks, Professor of Biology.
Ph.D., 1983, University of Georgia

Tom Hrabik, Associate Professor of Biology.
Ph.D., 1999, University of Wisconsin

Lindsay Oberem , Research Associate
Ph.D., 2005, University of Minnesota

John Swenson, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences.
Ph.D., 2000, University of Minnesota