Personal profile
Research Interests
Glaciers and ice sheets, sea level change, paleoclimatology and abrupt climate change
Biography
Education
B.S. with Honors (major), St. Lawrence University, 1978M.S. Geology, University of Waterloo, 1980Ph.D. Geology, University of Colorado, 1984Experience
2016 - present: Distinguished Professor of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University2018 - present: Professor of Quaternary Studies, University of Ulster1997 - 2016: Professor, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University2013 - 2015: Professor of Quaternary Studies, University of Ulster2012: Visiting Scholar, Harvard University2010: The Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorship, University of Edinburgh2009: Visiting Scholar, Harvard University2001: Marie Curie Visiting Scientist, University of Ulster1992 - 1997: Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University1988 - 1992: Assistant Professor, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University1984 - 1988: Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Illinois at ChicagoProfessional Activities
- Associate Editor, Journal of Climate, 2017-present
- Associate Editor, Atmosphere-Ocean, 2012-2017.
- Editor, Journal of Climate, 2012-2015.
- Coordinating Lead Author, Chapter 13 (Sea Level Change), Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2010-2013.
- Editorial Advisory Board, Quaternary Science Reviews, 2006-2012.
- Associate Editor, Journal of Climate, 2003-2012.
- Coordinating Lead Author, Report to the U.S. National Science Foundation, “A Research Program for Projecting Future Sea-Level Rise from Land-Ice Loss” (2011).
- Coordinating Lead Author, U.S. Climate Change Science Program, Synthesis and Assessment Product on “Abrupt Climate Change” (2008).
- Member, Panel on the CLIVAR/PAGES Intersection, 2004-2008.
- Member, U.S. National Committee for International Union for Quaternary Research, 2004-2006.
- North American Editor, Quaternary Science Reviews, 1998-2005.
- Editorial Board, Geology, 2002-2004.
- Marine Earth System History (MESH) Steering Committee, NSF, 2003-2005.
- Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Committee, American Geophysical Union, 1996-2002.
- INQUA Commission on Glaciation, 1999-2003.
- Associate Editor, Geophysical Research Letters, 1998 - 2001.
- Chair, Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, Geological Society of America, 1999-2000.
- 1st Vice-Chair, Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, Geological Society of America, 1998-1999.
- Steering Committee, EPILOG (Environmental Processes at the Last Glacial Maximum: Land, Oceans, and Glaciers), IMAGES, 1998-2002.
- 2nd Vice-Chair, Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, Geological Society of America, 1997-1998.
- Steering Committee, Terrestrial Aspects of Earth System History, U.S. Global Change Research Program, National Science Foundation, 1996 - 1997.
- Editorial Advisory Board, Quaternary Science Reviews, 1996-1997.
- Panel Member, Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, Geological Society of America, 1995-1997.
- Editorial Board, Geology, 1995-1997.
- Councilor (Geohistory) - American Quaternary Association, 1994-1998.
- Associate Editor, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 1985-1988.
Awards
2016 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science2016 Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University2016 Fellowship, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University (declined)2012 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship2011 Carter Award, Outstanding and Inspirational Graduate Teaching, Oregon State University2010 Fellow, American Geophysical Union2008 F.A. Gilfillan Memorial Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Science, Oregon State University2007 Easterbrook Distinguished Scientist Award, Geological Society of America2002 Milton Harris Award for Exceptional Achievement in Basic Research, Oregon State University1997 Gladys W. Cole Memorial Research Award, Geological Society of America1997 Fellow, Geological Society of America1995 Thomas T. Sugihara Young Faculty Research Award, Oregon State University1987 Silver Circle Award, Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of IllinoisExpertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Constraints on past CO2 and climate sensitivity from global temperature and sea level reconstructions across the Plio-Pleistocene
Koehler, P. & Clark, P. U., 16 Mar 2026, In: Geophysical Research Letters. 53, 5, p. 1-10 10 p., e2025GL120608.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile11 Downloads (Pure) -
State dependent ice-sheet resonance under Cenozoic and future climates
Golledge, N. R., Levy, R. H., Meyers, S., Weber, M. E., Clark, P. U., Burns, J., Ishii, H., Knahl, H., Lowry, D. P., McKay, R. M., Naish, T. R. & Grant, G., 2 Feb 2026, In: Communications Earth & Environment. 7, 1, p. 1-11 11 p., 114.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)3 Downloads (Pure) -
Global mean sea level over the past 4.5 million years
Clark, P. U., Shakun, J. D., Rosenthal, Y., Pollard, D., Hostetler, S. W., Köhler, P., Bartlein, P. J., Gregory, J. M., Zhu, C., Schrag, D. P., Liu, Z. & Pisias, N. G., 16 Oct 2025, In: Science. 390, 6770, eadv8389.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile14 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)50 Downloads (Pure) -
Increase in deglacial ocean heat content linked to contrasts in extratropical warming
Zhu, C., Cheng, L., Liu, Z. & Clark, P. U., 28 Jul 2025, In: Geophysical Research Letters. 52, 14, p. 1-10 10 p., e2025GL115538.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)34 Downloads (Pure) -
Mean ocean temperature change and decomposition of the benthic δ 18O record over the past 4.5 million years
Clark, P. U., Shakun, J. D., Rosenthal, Y., Zhu, C., Bartlein, P. J., Gregory, J. M., Köhler, P., Liu, Z. & Schrag, D. P., 30 Jun 2025, In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 21, 6, p. 973-1000 28 p., CP 21.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)271 Downloads (Pure)