Faculty Spotlight for March/April 2007

Daniel Sigman, a geochemist and oceanographer, came to the Department of Geosciences as a Harry Hess Postdoctoral Fellow in 1998 and joined the faculty in 2000.

Sigman’s interests are in the environmental dynamics of the biologically-important elements, at scales ranging from single-celled organisms to the global biosphere. His analytical focus is on the isotope ratios of nitrogen, which he uses to investigate the biogeochemistry of modern and ancient environments, the ocean in particular. He also develops and applies geochemical models of the ocean. Questions that currently drive Sigman's research include:

1. Why was atmospheric carbon dioxide less abundant during the last ice age than it is now? (pdf)

2. What are the sources and sinks of biologically available nitrogen in the ocean, and how does their interaction affect ocean fertility? (pdf)

3. How do the polar ocean regions operate as physical and biogeochemical systems (pdf), and how do they affect and respond to climate change? (pdf)

Through collaborations with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean, Sigman teaches courses in ocean science that offer field and lab experiences. These include a freshman seminar, FRS: The Ocean Environment , and a new summer course, GEO 318: Observing the Marine Environment. Through a project funded by the National Science Foundation, Sigman also offers summer research internships for Princeton undergraduates.

Link to previous faculty spotlights