I am a PhD student in the Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences department at the University of British Columbia. I received my master's degree from the University of Chicago, Department of the Geophysical Sciences studying chemical oceanography with paleoceanographic applications. I am particularly interested in chemical tracers and proxies preserved in marine sediment that can characterize past modes of ocean circulation. The mode of ocean circulation plays a significant role in regulating global climate through processes such as heat transport and ocean-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2). Therefore, establishing reliable proxies that trace changes in the ocean circulation of the past is essential to quantify how circulation feeds back on the climate system. The isotopic composition of Neodymium (Nd) preserved in various components of marine sediment identifies water masses with distinct isotopic compositions.
My current project aims to confirm the success of this proxy to identify water masses in the modern North Atlantic Ocean and then apply this tool in down core sediment. By applying this method to preserved marine sediment, we can attempt to reconstruct the configuration of water masses during the most recent glacial transition.
EDUCATION
Currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the University of British Columbia-
Advisor- Roger Francois
M.S. from the Department of the Geophysical Sciences, The University of
Chicago, Graduation date: December 2010, "Multiproxy Comparison of
Oceanographic Temperature during Heinrich Events in the Eastern Subtropical
Atlantic"
B.A. from Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences Ithaca, NY
Graduation date: May 2006, Major: Science of Earth Systems, Dean's List Fall
2004
AWARDS AND PROPOSALS
William V. Sliter Student Research Award for Rare earth elements in
foraminiferal calcite: the utility of the Cerium anomaly- Fall 2010
General User Proposal 22165- Rare Earth Elements in Foraminiferal Calcite
for the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, beam time
allocated, Dec 8 (9am) €“ Dec 9 (8am), 2010
McCormick Fellowship, Awarded by The University of Chicago, Fall 2007-Fall
2009
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Patton, G.M., Martin, P.A., Voelker, A., Salgueiro, E., 2011. Multiproxy
comparison of oceanographic temperature during Heinrich Events in the eastern
subtropical Atlantic. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 310 (1-2), 45-58,
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.07.028. (Master's work)
PAPERS IN PREP
The Utility of Rare Earth Elements in Planktonic Foraminifera
SELECTED CONFERENCES AND PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS
Patton, G.M., Martin P.A., Salgueiro, E., Voelker, A.L., Paleoceanographic
interpretation of the light rare earth elements, Goldschmidt Conference,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada. June 24-29, 2010 (Talk)
Patton, G.M., Pamela A Martin, Antje Voelker, Trace element/Ca measured in
planktonic foraminifera during Heinrich Events in the Iberian Margin and Gulf of
Cadiz, 10th International Conference on Paleoceanography, San Diego,
California, Aug. 29-Sept. 3, 2010 (Poster Presentation)
Patton G. M., Martin P.A., Voelker, A., Mg/Ca Paleothermometry in the central
Gulf of Cadiz and the Iberian Margin during Heinrich Events, Chapman
Conference on Abrupt Climate Change, June 2009 (Poster Session)
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP COURSES
Natural Hazards- for nonscience major undergraduates Winter 2011, 2012
Chemical Oceanography-for graduate students and geoscience undergraduates
Fall 2010
Global Warming- for non science-major undergraduates Spring 2010, Spring
2011
Chemistry of the Atmosphere- for non science-major undergraduates- Winter
2009, Winter 2008
Ice Age Earth- for non science major undergraduates Fall 2007, Fall 2008
FIELD WORK/FIELD COURSES
San Salvador, Bahamas field course at the Gerace Research Station- Spring
2010
Stratigraphic work and collection of bivalves from outcrops along the Oregon
coast with fellow graduate student Christina Belanger- Summer 2009
MD 168/AMOCINT IMAGES XVII aboard the Marion Dufresne, 15th June
Advisors - Roger Francois and Dominique Weis