Nick Bader

Nick Bader is an Associate Professor of Geology at Whitman College, where he has taught since 2007. He holds a B.A. in Geology from Earlham College (1997), an M.S. in Geosciences from the University of Arizona (1999), and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2006). His research focuses on Quaternary climate change, soil biogeochemistry, and paleosols as indicators of past environmental conditions. He teaches courses in environmental geology, soil science, hydrology, and GIS.

His research integrates field-based studies with laboratory analyses to explore topics such as paleoclimate reconstruction using clumped isotopes, loess deposits, and paleosols. He has contributed to understanding global carbon cycling through plant-microbe interactions and Quaternary vegetation dynamics. His work spans regions including Death Valley, Oregon, and the Mongolian Altai.

His teaching emphasizes hands-on learning through fieldwork and GIS applications. Courses include GEOL 229 (Geology and Ecology of Soils), GEOL 301 (Hydrology), and GEOL 418 (GIS). Recent research highlights include studies of Pacific Northwest paleoclimate and middle Miocene weathering processes. No notable awards are listed, but his work appears in journals like Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology and Geoderma.