DR. David Harning

I use sedimentary records of Earth history to study Arctic climate change, on land and at sea, through the ice ages. Currently, I am interested in how climate impacts glaciers, shrubs, methane cycling and carbon burial during periods of Earth’s history that were warmer than today. These data underpin predictive climate models, conservation efforts, and carbon dioxide removal strategies.

My expertise lies in the development and application of various geochemical proxies from lake and ocean environments. These currently include lipid biomarkers, stable isotopes, and ancient DNA. I also have expertise in sediment chronologies and statistical analysis of large datasets. To complement my focus on empirical observations, I have started to dabble with climate and proxy system modeling. This diversity allows me to find new angles to research, be flexible with collaborations, and have a lot of fun.

I’m lucky to be supported by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder), the National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA), and a great team of collaborators.