David McGee, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at MIT, was recently appointed head of the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), effective Jan. 15. He assumes the role from Professor Robert van der Hilst, the Schlumberger Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, who led the department for 13 years. McGee specializes in applying isotope geochemistry and geochronology to reconstruct Earth's climate history, helping to ground-truth our understanding of how the climate system responds during periods of rapid change. He has also been instrumental in the growth of the department's community and culture, having served as EAPS associate department head since 2020. 'David is an amazing researcher who brings crucial, data-based insights to aid our response to climate change,' says dean of the School of Science and the Curtis (1963) and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics Nergis Mavalvala. 'He is also a committed and caring...
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