Rosenberg Institute Seminar Series - Alyssa Griffin

Alyssa Griffin, Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis

Nature and Nurture: The role of marine sediments in nature-based and geoengineered climate solutions 

Abstract: The most catastrophic consequences of climate change can only be avoided if global carbon emissions fall below zero (net negative emissions) by 2050. Reaching net negative emissions will require aggressive reduction in carbon emissions in addition to gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Marine sediments are the ultimate sink of anthropogenic carbon emissions on geologic timescales and a fundamental control of Earth’s climate. Marine sediments are also inextricably linked to the efficacy of several proposed climate mitigation strategies. In this talk, I will discuss my ongoing research at the nexus of marine sediment biogeochemistry, Earth’s changing climate, and developing equitable climate solutions in the context of both nature-based and geoengineered marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) strategies. I will also highlight how studying marine sediments can contribute to building coastal resiliency, co-developing mutually beneficial partnerships, and elevating the role of the earth science community in addressing the unfolding climate crisis. 

Bio: Dr. Alyssa Griffin is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Davis and the Bodega Marine Laboratory. She received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Geology from Temple University and a PhD in Oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Dr. Griffin studies carbon cycling in marine ecosystems and uses her science to advance climate justice. Dr. Griffin is deeply committed to a just, equitable, and inclusive future for the geosciences and has received multiple honors for her work towards this goal.