Curriculum Vitae

Nicholas P. McKay

Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Geosciences
University of Arizona
1040 E. Fourth St.
Tucson, AZ 85721
nmckay@email.arizona.edu

Professional Preparation

University of Arizona                             Geosciences                        Ph.D. 2012 (expected)
Northern Arizona University                    Geology                               M.S. 2007
Northern Arizona University                    Environmental Science          B.S. 2005
Northern Arizona University                    Geology                               B.S. 2005

Appointments

Fall 2011: Teaching Assistant, University of Arizona - Global Change (GEOS 478/578)

2010-current: Research Assistant, University of Arizona Department of Geosciences Environmental Studies Lab - Paleoclimatic analysis of Lake Bosumtwi sediment

Spring 2010: Teaching Assistant, University of Arizona - Physical Geology (GEOS 251)

2007-2009: Research Assistant, University of Arizona Department of Geosciences Environmental Studies Lab - Paleoclimatic analysis of Lake Bosumtwi sediment

2007-2008: Research Fellow, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth - Paleoclimatic analysis of Lake Bosumtwi sediment

2005-2007: Research Assistant, Northern Arizona University Quaternary Sediment Lab - Paleolimnological and geomorphic investigation of Southern Alaska climate and glacier variability

Spring 2007: Teaching Assistant, Northern Arizona University - Environmental Geology (GLG 360)

2005-2007 Research Assistant, Northern Arizona University Department of Geology - Using tablet computers to teach classroom and field-based geoscience to undergraduates

2004-2006 Lead Technician, Merriam Powell Center for Environmental Research and MESOnet weather station networks - programming, installation, maintenance, and data processing of weather station networks on the Colorado Plateau

Publications

8. McKay, N.P., Overpeck, J. T., Shanahan, T. M., Peck, J. A., King, J. W., Scholz, C. A., and Heil, C. W., in prep. Interannual- to multicentiennial-scale variability in the West African Monsoon during the Eemian.

7. McKay, N.P., Overpeck, J. T., Brown, E. T., Shanahan, T. M., Peck, J. A., King, J. W., Scholz, C. A., and Heil, C. W., in prep. A high-resolution record of West African Monsoon variability over the past 500 kyr.

6. McKay, N.P., Dettman, D.L., Downs, R.T., and Overpeck, J.T., in prep. On the potential of Raman- spectroscopy-based carbonate mass spectrometry. To be submitted to the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy.

5. Shanahan, T.M., Beck, J.W., Overpeck, J.T., McKay, N.P.,and Pigati, J., in prep.Late Quaternary sedimentological and climate changes at Lake Bosumtwi Ghana: new constraints from laminae analysis and radiocarbon age modeling. To be submitted to Quaternary Science Reviews.

4. McKay, N.P., Overpeck, J. T., and Otto-Bliesner, B.L., (2011). The role of ocean thermal expansion in Last Interglacial sea level rise. Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL048280.

3. Kaufman, D.S., Schneider, D.P., McKay, N.P., Ammann,C.M., Bradley, R.S., Briffa, K.R., Miller, G.H., Otto-Bliesner, B.L., Overpeck, J.T., Vinther, B.M., ARCSS 2k Project Members, 2009. Recent warming reverses long-term arctic cooling. Science 325, 1236-1239, doi:10.1126/science.1173983.

2. McKay, N.P. and Kaufman, D.S., 2009. Holocene climate and glacier variability at Hallet and Greyling Lakes, Chugach Mountains, south-central Alaska. Journal of Paleolimnology, doi:10.1007/s10933-008-9260-0.

1. McKay, N.P., Kaufman, D.S., and Michelutti N., 2008. Biogenic silica concentration as a high- resolution, quantitative temperature proxy at Hallet Lake, south-central Alaska. Geophysical Research Letters 35, L05709, doi:10.1029/2007GL032876.

Presentations

11. McKay, N.P. Overpeck, J. T.; Shanahan, T. M.; Brown, E. T.; Peck, J. A.; King, J. W.; Scholz, C. A.; and Heil, C. W., 2012. Paleohydrologic changes in tropical West Africa on interannual to orbital timescales over the past 500,000 years. Colloquium of the French Academy of Science on the African Tropical Forest, Paris, France. [Invited Talk]

10. McKay, N.P., Overpeck, J. T., Shanahan, T. M., Peck, J. A., King, J. W., Scholz, C. A., and Heil, C. W., 2011. Interannual- to multicentiennial-scale variability in the West African Monsoon during the Eemian. AGU Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco, California. [Poster]

9. Routson, C.C., McKay, N.P., Woodhouse, C., Overpeck, J. T., 2011. The perfect ocean for megadrought. AGU Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco, California. [Poster]

8. McKay, N.P.; Overpeck, J. T.; and Otto-Bliesner, B.L., 2011. The role of ocean thermal expansion in Last Interglacial sea level rise. Geodaze 2011, Tucson, Arizona. [Oral]

7. Ault, T.R.; Kimbrough, A.; McKay, N.P.; Truebe, S.; and Cole, J.E, 2011. Monte-Carlo Age-model Families for Intpretation and Analysis (MAFIA): New tools for paleoclimate studies. Geodaze 2011, Tucson, Arizona. [Oral]

6. McKay, N.P. Overpeck, J. T.; Shanahan, T. M.; Peck, J. A.; King, J. W.; Scholz, C. A.; and Heil, C. W., 2011. An initial comparison of Eemian and Holocene varve structure and variability in the Lake Bosumtwi drill core record. 2nd Workshop of PAGES Varves Working Group, Corpus Christi, Texas. [Oral]

5. McKay, N.P. Overpeck, J. T.; Brown, E. T.; Shanahan, T. M.; Peck, J. A.; King, J. W.; Scholz, C. A.; and Heil, C. W., 2010. A scanning-XRF record of Lake Bosumtwi sediments: Implications for West African Monsoon variability over the past 500 kyr. Geodaze 2010, Tucson, Arizona. [Oral]

4. McKay, N.P. Overpeck, J. T.; Brown, E. T.; Shanahan, T. M.; Peck, J. A.; King, J. W.; Scholz, C. A.; and Heil, C. W., 2009. A scanning-XRF record of Lake Bosumtwi sediments: Implications for West African Monsoon variability over the past 500 kyr. AGU Fall Meeting 2009, San Francisco, California. [Oral]

3. Kaufman, D.S.; Briner, J.P.; Daigle, T.A.; Kathan, K.M.; Levy, L.B.; McKay, N.P.; and Werner, A., 2007. Holocene and latest Pleistocene glacier fluctuations from moraines and lake cores, southern Alaska. XVII INQUA Congress 2007, Cairns, Australia. [Poster]

2. McKay, N.P.; and Kaufman, D.S., 2007. A biogenic-silica-inferred temperature reconstruction for the past 2 kyr, and Holocene climate fluctuations from Hallet and Greyling Lakes, Chugach Range, south-central Alaska. International Arctic Workshop, Skaftafell, Iceland. [Oral]

1. McKay, N.P.; Kaufman, D.S., 2007, and Anderson, D.E., 2005. Characterization of climatic influences on modern sedimentation in an arctic lake, Svalbard, Norway. Northeast regional Geological Society of America Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York. [Oral]

Grants and Fellowships Received

2011: Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant

2011: Institute of the Environment Student Travel Grant

2011: Departmental Summer Research Grant

2010: ChevronTexaco Summer Research Grant

2011: Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant

2010: Institute of the Environment Dissertation Improvement Grant

2009: Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant

2007: University of Arizona Institute for the Study of Planet Earth Fellowship

2007: University of Arizona Graduate College Fellowship

2007: Northern Arizona University: Geology Department Academic Excellence Fellowship 

2006: Geological Society of America Graduate Research Grant

2006: Friday Lunch Clubbe Research Grant

2005: Flagstaff Gem and Mineral Society Scholarship

Awards Received

2012: McGinnies Award for Arid Lands Research

2011: Best presentation, Geodaze 2011: “Paleoclimate: Oceans, Caves and Modeling” session

2010: Galileo Circle Scholar

2007: Northern Arizona University: Geology Department Academic Excellence Award

2005: Outstanding Senior, Department of Geology, Northern Arizona University

2004: Accepted to Research Experience for Undergraduates program for summer fieldwork in Svalbard

Synergistic Activities, Service, and Outreach

Invited Lecturer: Stories in the mud: What lakes have taught me about past climates. Inaugural McGinnies Lecture, University of Arizona, 2012.

Volunteer Judge: University of Arizona Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grants, 2011.

Invited Lecturer: Introduction to Paleoclimatology. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Green Valley, AZ, 2010.

Developed and integrated am undergraduate curriculum utilizing tablet computers in the geosciences at Northern Arizona Universirty, 2005-2007.

Developed a weather station network at primary and secondary schools in Northern Arizona, for both data collection and dissemination, and as learning tool for 4th-12th graders, 2004-2007.

Reviewer of journal manuscripts for Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans and Climates of the Past

Collaborators

Ammann, C.M. (NCAR – Boulder), Ault, T. (NCAR – Boulder), Bradley, R.S. (U. of Massachusetts), Briffa, K.R. (U. of East Anglia), Dettman, D.L., (University of Arizona), Downs, R.T., (University of Arizona), Miller, G.H. (U. of Colorado, Boulder), Michelutti, N. (Queen's University), Otto-Bliesner, B.L. (NCAR - Boulder), Routson, C.C. (University of Arizona), Schneider, D.P. (NCAR - Boulder).

Advisors

Ph.D.: J.T. Overpeck (U. of Arizona)

M.S.: D.S. Kaufman (N. Arizona. University)