Daniel O Breecker

Daniel O Breecker
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Office: JGB 5.206A
Mailcode: C9000

I am interested in pursuing a process-based understanding of the critical zone with a focus on the formation of calcium carbonates in soils and caves and the stabilization of organic carbon in soils. Goals include improving and developing paleoclimate proxies and better understanding changes in climate and the carbon cycle across a range of timescales.

Areas of Expertise

The Breecker Group studies biogeochemical processes occurring at or near the land surface. We study soils and paleosols, caves and stalagmites, and other materials, such as volcanic glass, that give us insight into ancient Earth. We study timescales ranging from seasonal cycles to hundreds of millions of years. We use observations, mathematical models and both laboratory and field-based experiments to address an evolving range of questions. To learn more about the research we are doing, please see our research group website.


Postdocs

Jiawei Da

Elizabeth Cassel, now at the University of Idaho
Liz is advancing the understanding of the paleoelevation of the western United States and the Western Cordillera in South America. She is a leader in the use of felsic volcanic glasses to determine the past elevation of Earth's land surface.

Timothy Gallagher, now at Kent State University


Graduate Students

August R Aalto (Supervisor)

Nicole Ferrie (Co-supervisor)
Nicole Ferrie is a Ph.D. student interested in utilizing geochemical behavior to research seismologic processes and paleoclimate reconstruction. Her research focuses on using boron adsorption and isotopic fractionation (1) as a fluid tracer in shallow subduction complexes and (2) as a proxy for paleoatmospheric CO2 reconstruction in paleosols. Nicole performs experimental work on both subducted rock from the Nankai Trough and...

Kiara Gomez, Ph.D., 2022 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Evan Ramos, Ph.D., 2021 (Co-supervisor)
Department of Geosciences

Lily Serach, Ph.D., 2021 (Supervisor)
Department of Geosciences

Natasha Sekhon, Ph.D., 2021 (Co-supervisor)
Department of Geosciences

Lily Jaskcon, Ph.D., 2019 (Committee Member)

Peter Carlson, Ph.D., 2018 (Co-supervisor)

Sol Cooperdock, M.S., 2017 (Supervisor)

John Warden, Ph.D., 2016 (Co-supervisor)

Tim Charlton, M.S., 2016 (Co-supervisor)

Chris Cacciatore, M.S., 2016 (Supervisor)

Michael Patson, M.S., 2015 (Supervisor)

Brandon Okafor, M.S., 2014 (Supervisor)

Marlo Gawey, M.S., 2013 (Supervisor)

Lacey Pyle, M.S., 2012 (Supervisor)

Nate Meyer, M.S., 2012 (Supervisor)

Kyle Meyer, M.S., 2012 (Co-supervisor)


YearSemesterCourse
2023Spring GEO 391 Envirnmentl Isotope Geochem
2023Spring GEO 387C Aqueous Geochemistry
2023Spring GEO 476M Aqueous Geochemistry
2023Spring GEO 376E Environmental Isotope Geochem
2022Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2022Summer GEO f382C Groundwater Field Methods
2022Summer GEO f376L Field Meths In Groundwtr Hydrl
2021Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2021Spring GEO 376E Environmntl Isotope Geochem-Wb
2021Spring GEO 391 Envirnmentl Isotope Geochem-Wb
2020Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology-Wb
2020Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2019Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2019Summer GEO f660B Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2019Spring GEO 388H Environmental Isotope Geochem
2019Spring GEO 376E Environmental Isotope Geochem
2018Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2018Summer GEO f660B Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2018Spring GEO 191 Proposal Writing
2018Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2018Spring GEO 291 Asian Monsoon
2017Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2017Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017Spring GEO 191 Proposal Writing
2017Spring GEO 388H Environmental Isotope Geochem
2017Spring GEO 376E Environmental Isotope Geochem
2016Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2016Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2016Spring GEO 191 Proposal Writing
2016Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Stbl Isotp Biogeochem
2015Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2015Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2015Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Stbl Isotp Biogeochem
2015Spring GEO 191 Proposal Writing
2015Spring GEO 388H Environmental Isotope Geochem
2015Spring GEO 376E Environmental Isotope Geochem
2014Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Stbl Isotp Biogeochem
2014Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2014Spring GEO 191 Proposal Writing
2014Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Stbl Isotp Biogeochem