Scripps paleomagnetism researcher Lisa Tauxe
Scripps Researcher Named
AAAS Fellow
Lisa Tauxe honored for paleomagnetism
research, public education efforts
Scripps Institution of Oceanography/University of California, San Diego
Lisa
Tauxe, distinguished professor of geophysics at Scripps Institution of
Oceanography at UC San Diego and a world expert in the history of the earth’s
magnetic field, will be recognized on Feb. 18 as a fellow of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the nation’s largest
scientific organization.
Tauxe
has been selected for this honor for her “distinguished contributions and
innovations in the determination of geomagnetic paleointensity and the
complimentary effort to disseminate new methods benefiting the entire
discipline.”
Tauxe’s
research focuses on paleomagnetism, the study of the magnetism in ancient
rocks. She conducts expeditions at sites around the globe to analyze the
magnetic properties of rocks and archaeological artifacts for clues about
fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field dating back millions of years. Her
reconstructions of the earth’s magnetic past have been used in the development
of models of continental drift and climate evolution.
Recently,
Tauxe and her team traveled to the northernmost and southernmost active volcanoes
on earth to examine the magnetic properties of lava flows, which act as tape
recorders for the earth’s magnetic past. Tauxe’s findings will test long-held
theories about the strength and directional variations of the earth’s magnetic
field at high latitudes.
AAAS
is acknowledging Tauxe not only for her important scientific discoveries, but
also for her effort to educate the international scientific community and the
public about paleomagnetism. For example, she has made freely available on her
website both a book she authored on the subject and audio of her classroom
lectures.
After
receiving a doctorate in geological sciences from Columbia University in 1983, Tauxe
joined Scripps as an assistant researcher. She has been a full professor since
2004.
She
is a fellow of both the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society
of America and is currently serving as the General Secretary and Treasurer of
the American Geophysical Union.
Tauxe
is among a group of 539 scientists, including nine from UC San Diego, who will
be honored as new fellows at the 2012 AAAS annual meeting in Vancouver, British
Columbia, for “efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed
scientifically or socially distinguished.”
Though
Tauxe will not be in attendance – her teaching duties will keep her in San
Diego – she appreciates the recognition by AAAS. “It’s very heartening that some people think highly enough of my work to
make something like this happen,” said Tauxe.
-- Chris Palmer
February 15, 2012
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