Education
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
PhD: Earth and Space Science
2022 - 2027 (expected)
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Bachelor of Engineering Science: Environmental Engineering
Bachelor of Arts: Earth Science modified with Environmental Studies
Magna Cum Laude, Tau Beta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa
2018 -2022
Research Experience
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Graduate Research Assistant
Advisor: T.J. Fudge and Eric Steig
Apply Electrical Conductivity Measurements to identify stratigraphy within ice cores
2022 - Present
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Graduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Erich Osterberg
Analyzed stable water isotope record from Mt. Hunter (Alaska) ice core to understand variability in north Pacific climate over the past 1000 years, collaborating with researchers across four academic institutions. Planned summer 2022 field season to recover additional ice core.
Melted three ice cores (total of 270 m), collecting a variety of geochemical measurements and discrete samples for external analysis.
2020 - 2022
Honors, Grants, and Awards
2022
Warren F. Upham 1871 Geology Prize, Best Earth Science Senior Honors Thesis
2022
Stefansson Fellowship, $4000 for Denali Research Expedition
2022
Andrew W. Mellon Grant, $1500 for Denali Research Expedition
2022
Jerry Manne ’58 Fund in Environmental Studies, $1250 for Denali Research Expedition
2021-2022
James O. Freeman Presidential Scholar, Funding for 3 terms of undergraduate research
2020
Philip R. Jackson Award, Best project in Introduction to Engineering
2020
Sophomore Scholar, Funding for 1 term of undergraduate research
Publications
2022
Sanda O. Brugger*, Liam Kirkpatrick*, Laurence Yeung*. “Fire trapped in ice: An introduction to biomass burning records from high-alpine and polar ice cores.” Pages Magazine, vol. 30, no. 2, 2022, pp 102-103
* denotes shared first authorship
Swift, Jonathan J., …, Liam Kirkpatrick, et al. “The Renovated Thacher Observatory and First Science Results.” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific vol. 134, no. 1033, 2022, pp 22
2022
Conference Posters
Oct 2022
Liam Kirkpatrick, Erich Osterberg, Dominic Winski, Karl Kreutz, Douglas Introne, David Ferris, Cameron Wake, Ben Kopec, Bradley Markle. “Does the Mt. Hunter (Alaska) water isotope record preserve changes to storm tracks and Aleutian Low intensity over the past millennium?” International Partnerships in Ice Core Science. Crans Montana, Switzerland. October 6, 2022. Poster presentation.
Emma Erwin, Ingalise Kindstedt, Scott Braddock, Liam Kirkpatrick, TJ Young, Seth Campbell, Dominic Winski, Karl Kruetz, Erich Osterberg. “Vertical strain rate measurements of the Begguya (Mt. Hunter) summit plateau, using the Autonomous Phase-Sensitive Radar (ApRES).” International Partnerships in Ice Core Science. Crans Montana, Switzerland. October 6, 2022. Poster Presentation.
Liam Kirkpatrick, Erich Osterberg, Dominic Winski, Karl Kreutz, Douglas Introne, David Ferris, Cameron Wake, Ben Kopec, Bradley Markle. 2022. “Does the Mt. Hunter (Alaska) water isotope record preserve changes to storm tracks and Aleutian Low intensity over the past millennium?” Ice Core Open Science Meeting. La Jolla, California. May 27, 2022. Poster presentation.
Kirkpatrick, Liam, Paloma Siegel, Michela Savignano, Abby Holt, Nick Bakken-French, Eric S Klein, Bradley Markle. 2021. “Understanding spatial and temporal water isotope variability across the Juneau Icefield, Alaska.” American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana. December 15, 2021. Poster presentation.
Edwards, Nick, Liam Kirkpatrick, Theo J. O’Neill, Yao Yin, Asher Wood, and Jonathan Swift. “A Search for Planet 9 at the Thacher Observatory.” American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting. Grapevine, Texas. January 5, 2017. Poster presentation.
Dec 2021
May 2022
Oct 2022
Jan 2017
Field Experience
See fieldwork page for details
Dec 2022 - Jan 2023
Hercules Dome, Antarctica
Completed aircraft supported fieldwork at Hercules Dome while based at the South Pole. Worked with HF, VHF, and aPRES radar systems to characterize ice dynamics and identify a major ice core site at western summit of Hercules Dome.
Jun 2022
Denali National Park, Alaska
Employed HF, VHF, and aPRES radar systems to study accumulation and ice flow on Denali and Begguya.
Led the effort to drill two shallow ice cores, sampling one in the field for stable water isotopes and returning the second frozen to lab in New Hampshire.
Traveled on skis across crevassed glacial terrain up to 13,000’ and spent four weeks camping in glacial environment
Jun 2021 - Aug 2021
Juneau Icefield Research Program, Alaska
Contributed to a variety of research projects as a student on the Juneau Icefield, including water isotope sampling, mass balance studies, radar surveys (VHF, HF, and aPRES), GPS ice velocity measurements, and snow albedo measurements. Practiced glacial camping and travel skills.
A full PDF copy of my CV is available by email request