معرفی
Matthew S. Lachniet is a Professor of Geoscience at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where he has served as Department Chair (2020–2023) and directs the Las Vegas Isotope Science (LVIS) Laboratory since 2006. He holds a Ph.D. in Geology (2001, Syracuse University), an M.S. (1997, Michigan State University), and a B.A. (1995, Antioch College). His research integrates light stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry with speleothem analysis to study paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes, focusing on regions such as Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Alaska, and the Great Basin. Key questions include the stability of tropical climates, teleconnections between tropical and extratropical systems, and the impact of anthropogenic climate change on rainfall patterns. Dr. Lachniet has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2023 UNLV Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award and the 2023 College of Science’s Distinguished Researcher Award, as well as a 2024 Fulbright Scholar Award to New Zealand and a 1998–1999 Fulbright Student Scholar Award to Costa Rica.
His research also explores the Urban Heat Island effect in Las Vegas and its contribution to local warming, alongside collaborations on projects like the Lake Izabal Basin Research Endeavor (LIBRE) drilling initiative. Lachniet’s teaching includes undergraduate courses on Global Warming, Paleoclimatology, and Quaternary Seminar, as well as graduate-level courses on Stable Isotope Geochemistry. He actively engages with public outreach, authoring blogs that contextualize paleoclimatic data for modern climate challenges and historical landscapes, such as reconstructing the location of 19th-century Indigenous photographs in Nevada. His work bridges geology and climate science, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Earth’s climate history and future trajectories.
- Education:
- Ph.D., Geology, Syracuse University, 2001
- M.S., Geology, Michigan State University, 1997
- B.A., Antioch College, 1995
- High School, Interlochen Center for the Arts, 1991
- Research Interests:
- Paleoclimatology and stable isotope geochemistry
- Tropical-extratropical climate teleconnections
- Speleothem-based rainfall history reconstruction
- Impacts of ENSO and ITCZ shifts
- Anthropogenic climate change adaptation
- Quaternary glacial and monsoonal dynamics
- Awards:
- UNLV Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award (2023)
- College of Science’s Distinguished Researcher Award (2023)
- Fulbright Scholar Award to New Zealand (2024)
- Fulbright Student Scholar Award to Costa Rica (1998–1999)
- UNLV Barrick Scholar Award (2007)
- Grants & Advising:
His research has been supported by continuous National Science Foundation funding from 2003 to 2026. While no formal advisee names are listed, his roles as a professor and lab director suggest active involvement in mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. He collaborates with international institutions, including Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, to advance interdisciplinary climate studies.
- Labs & Teams:
- Director, Las Vegas Isotope Science (LVIS) Lab
- Contributor to the SISAL global speleothem database and LIBRE drilling project
