Kaighin McColl

Kaighin McColl is an Associate Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His research focuses on the terrestrial water cycle and its interactions with weather and climate over land.

• PhD from MIT (2017) with NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
• Bachelor's degrees in environmental engineering and applied mathematics from University of Melbourne (2009)

Research interests include:

• Water limitation effects on evapotranspiration
• Surface energy balance dynamics
• Atmospheric boundary layer behavior
• Convective precipitation mechanisms
• Applications to storm, drought, and heatwave forecasting

Scientific contributions span 15 recent articles analyzing soil moisture dynamics, climate engineering impacts, and land-atmosphere interactions. His work has practical implications for wildfire prediction and climate adaptation strategies.

Scientific Awards:

McColl advises graduate students including Tara Gallagher, Aidan Matthews, and Mariya Pershyna. His lab emphasizes international collaboration and interdisciplinary research requiring physics, mathematics, and climate science expertise. Teaching responsibilities include two different undergraduate course teaching fellowships during PhD training.