Chiara Borrelli

Chiara Borrelli is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester's School of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and specializes in paleoceanography and paleoclimatology, focusing on foraminifera as tools for reconstructing past environmental changes. Her research combines laboratory and fieldwork to develop novel geochemical proxies, such as stable isotopes and trace elements, to study methane fluxes and biogeochemical cycles in marine sediments.

Her work emphasizes understanding biomineralization processes in foraminifera and their applications to paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Key areas include the Eocene-Oligocene transition, deep-water circulation, and methane seep ecosystems. Borrelli collaborates on IODP expeditions, contributing to datasets like the South Atlantic Transect, and maintains an online database (BFORAMS@MICROTX) for benthic foraminiferal taxonomy.

Recent publications highlight her expertise in isotope geochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, and micro-CT imaging of foraminifera. Her grants and collaborations focus on advancing paleoceanographic methodologies and exploring the interplay between ocean chemistry and climate.