John Isbell

John Isbell is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), affiliated with the College of Letters & Science. He holds a PhD from The Ohio State University, with postdoctoral research at the Byrd Polar Research Center. His research focuses on clastic sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy, examining glacial, fluvial, and marine deposits across Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, and other regions to reconstruct environmental changes during critical intervals in Earth history, such as the Late Paleozoic Ice Age and Permian-Triassic greenhouse periods.

His work integrates field-based studies with geochronological and geochemical analyses, often in remote locations like the Transantarctic Mountains and Siberia. He has led 14 Antarctic expeditions and contributed to international collaborations through roles like Chief Scientist of the Beardmore Remote Research Camp. Publications emphasize glacial dynamics, basin evolution, and paleoclimatic reconstructions using sedimentological and stratigraphic methods.

Teaching interests include sedimentology, stratigraphy, and field geology, with courses on clastic petrology and sequence stratigraphy. He has advised numerous graduate students on projects involving glacial-marine transitions and Paleozoic environmental shifts. His research has advanced understanding of icehouse-greenhouse transitions and the impact of climate extremes on ecosystems.

Professional contributions include editorial roles for PALAIOS and leadership in the Gondwana Subcommission. Fieldwork highlights include documenting Permian Antarctic forests and reinterpreting diamictite deposits in Siberia. Current projects continue exploring the interplay between tectonics, climate, and sedimentation in high-latitude settings.