Lee B. Corbett
Polar Scientist in the Spotlight
Learn about all sorts of careers that polar scientists have as we explore their different research areas through the featured Polar Scientist of the Month.
Lee B. Corbett
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of VermontWhat do you do?
Broadly speaking, I focus on how glaciers and ice sheets behave over long timescales- hundreds of thousands to millions of years. I study how they respond to climate change, as well as how they sculpt and erode the underlying landscape.
What is the best thing about your job?
Exploring the spectacular landscapes in Greenland!
What is the most important tool you use for research?
The rare isotopes 10Be (beryllium) and 26Al (aluminum), called cosmogenic nuclides, which build up on rock surfaces over time.
Why is what you do important?
I study how the Greenland Ice Sheet has responded to past periods of climate change over millions of years. The Greenland Ice Sheet contains about seven meters of global sea level equivalent, so determining whether it has disappeared in the past has critical implications for our ability to predict and mitigate modern climate change.
