John Higgins

John Higgins is Professor of Geosciences at Princeton University and an associated faculty member of the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI). He leads the Higgins Research Laboratory in Guyot Hall, which specializes in advanced geochemical analysis using a Thermo Neptune multi-collector ICP-MS system. His laboratory has pioneered methods for measuring stable potassium, magnesium, and calcium isotopes with unprecedented precision.

Higgins' research investigates the evolution of Earth's carbon cycle and climate system through geologic time, with specific interests in:

• Processes controlling seawater chemistry and carbonate sediment formation
• Low-temperature stable isotope geochemistry (O, C, Mg, Ca, K)
• Geochemical records preserved in ice cores and marine carbonates
• Diagenetic processes affecting geochemical proxies
• Global climate dynamics on million-year timescales

His publications demonstrate a strong focus on developing isotopic proxies for reconstructing past ocean chemistry and climate conditions. Recent work emphasizes the application of novel isotope systems (K, Mg, Ca, Li) to both modern and ancient environments, with significant attention to diagenetic processes that affect geochemical records in sedimentary archives.

Higgins advises graduate students including Lauren D. Gilmore, Fairuz Ishraque, and Matthew Nadeau. His research group has led expeditions to recover ancient ice cores from Antarctica's Allan Hills, obtaining the oldest ice records at the time of collection (up to 2 million years old). The laboratory maintains active collaborations with international teams studying carbon cycling, paleoclimate, and geochemical processes.