Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department welcomes new leader: David McGee
Let me break this down, frat:
David McGee, the dashing professor, is now the big kahuna of MIT's Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences department, officially taking over the reigns from Bob van der Hilst on Jan. 15. Bob had been running the show for a whopping 13 years.
McGee's forte lies in using some fancy isotope stuff to reconstruct Earth's climate history, helping us to better understand how our climate system behaves during crazy, rapid change periods. He's been a significant player in expanding the department and fostering a stellar community vibe, having served as the Associate Department Head since 2020.
Nergis Mavalvala, the Dean of the School of Science and a total astrophysics boss, gave McGee a special shoutout, praising his groundbreaking research that gives essential data to assist our climate change response efforts. She also pointed out McGee's incredible dedication to his students, supplying them with top-notch learning experiences and through his leadership of Terrascope, an unique first-year learning community aimed at finding solutions for sustainability challenges.
When asked about his excitement to lead the department, McGee expressed his enthusiasm for the awesome EAPS community, Rob's killer leadership during the last 13 years, and MIT President Kornbluth's call for the institute to develop innovative, smart responses to climate change. McGee believes that EAPS has a pivotal role in this urgent time when we need to understand the Earth system better and grasp our place in the universe.
McGee's research aims to discover the Earth system's response to past climate shifts. He and his team analyze stalagmites, ancient lake deposits, and deep-sea sediments from global field sites, tracing patterns of wind and rainfall, water availability in arid regions, and permafrost stability across space and time. Armed with precise timelines, he aims to shed light on the factors driving hydroclimatic shifts in history and test the performance of climate models.
Besides rocking the research world, McGee has been instrumental in shaping several MIT initiatives centered around the environment, climate, and sustainability. He's served on the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium Faculty Steering Committee, the faculty advisory board for the MIT Environment and Sustainability Minor, and even co-chaired MIT's Climate Education Working Group.
In 2023, the working group hosted the MIT Symposium for Advancing Climate Education, with McGee delivering a talk on how higher education can innovate and empower students to develop the skills and mindset needed to adapt to the world being reshaped by the escalating climate crisis.
Rob van der Hilst believes that McGee will lead the department with a fresh perspective, encouraging students to collaborate with communities outside MIT, advocating that scientific discovery alone isn't always enough to make a tangible societal impact. This year, McGee received the School of Science Teaching Prize, MIT's highest teaching award, and was named a Margaret MacVicar Faculty Fellow, the institute's ultimate teaching honor.
As Associate Department Head, McGee worked with student leaders, van der Hilst, and other awesome folks to boost EAPS community engagement, strengthen internal supports, and present more possibilities for students to pursue advanced degrees and STEM careers.
Now, let's dive into some more info on McGee without getting too geeky or boring:
Based on the search results, McGee's research likely focuses on climate science, atmospheric studies, and planetary sciences within his new role as department head. However, detailed information about his specific contributions and areas of expertise in climate education and sustainability within MIT remains scarce.
In general, EAPS research often revolves around topics like understanding climate variability, improving climate modeling, and examining sustainable practices in environmental management. If McGoo's work aligns with these themes, it would align with the broader mission of EAPS departments. But we'll need more info to get specifics on his research and accomplishments.
- In his new role as department head, David McGee's research is expected to focus on climate science, atmospheric studies, and planetary sciences.
- McGee's work is significant in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences department as he uses isotope analysis to reconstruct Earth's climate history.
- Nergis Mavalvala, the Dean of the School of Science, praised McGee for his groundbreaking research that provides essential data for climate change response efforts.
- McGee's leadership extends beyond his research, as he has been instrumental in shaping several MIT initiatives focused on environment, climate, and sustainability.
- McGee leads Terrascope, an unique first-year learning community aimed at finding solutions for sustainability challenges, providing top-notch learning experiences for students.
- McGee believes that EAPS has a crucial role in understanding the Earth system better and grasping our place in the universe, especially during periods of rapid climate change.
- McGee's research aims to discover the Earth system's response to past climate shifts by analyzing data from various global field sites.
- His research focuses on patterns of wind and rainfall, water availability in arid regions, and permafrost stability across space and time, armed with precise timelines to test the performance of climate models.
- McGee has received recognition for his teaching, having received the School of Science Teaching Prize, MIT's highest teaching award, and being named a Margaret MacVicar Faculty Fellow, the institute's ultimate teaching honor.
- McGee aims to encourage students to collaborate with communities outside MIT, believing that scientific discovery alone isn't always enough to make a significant societal impact.
- McGee and his team's work aligns with the broader mission of EAPS departments, as it often revolves around understanding climate variability, improving climate modeling, and examining sustainable practices in environmental management.
- More information is needed to get specifics on McGee's research and accomplishments within MIT's initiatives centered around environment, climate, and sustainability.
- Despite the limited information, it is evident that McGee plays a vital role in education and self-development, as well as climate-change and environmental-science, within MIT, paving the way for future generations of students and faculty.
