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Robin Bell (scientist)

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This article is about the scientist. For the athlete, see Robin Bell.
Robin E. Bell
NationalityAmerican
Alma materColumbia University
AwardsFellow of the American Geophysical Union
Scientific career
FieldsGeophysics
InstitutionsLamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Websitewww.ldeo.columbia.edu/user/robinb

Robin Elizabeth Bell is Palisades Geophysical Institute (PGI) Lamont Research Professor at Columbia University's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory[1] and a past President of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2019–2021. Dr. Bell was influential in co-ordinating the 2007 International Polar Year and was the first woman to chair the National Academy of Sciences Polar Research Board.[1][2] She has made numerous important discoveries with regard to subglacial lakes and ice sheet dynamics, and has a ridge, called Bell Buttress, in Antarctica named after her.[2][3]

Early life and education

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Bell received her undergraduate degree in Geology from Middlebury College in Vermont; her MPhil from Columbia University in 1980; and her PhD in geophysics from Columbia University in 1989.[1][4] She received an honorary degree from Middlebury College in 2006.[1][5] Bell is a passionate sailor: with her husband and two children, she has sailed across the Atlantic several times, as well as the coasts of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and the Labrador Sea.[6]

Career and impact

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Bell is a scientist who has produced research on polar ice. Since 1989, she has led research at Columbia University's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) on ice sheets, tectonics, rivers and mid-ocean ridges.[1] As LDEO's Palisades Geophysical Institute Lamont Research Professor,[7] she directs research programs in Antarctica and Greenland and focuses on developing technology to monitor our changing planet.[1]

Bell has played roles in coordinating international polar science initiatives, including the 2007 International Polar Year,[8][9] which brought together 60,000 scientists from over 63 different nations to study rapidly changing elements of our planet;[1][10] and the 2007 International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences.[11] She also was the first woman to chair the National Academy of Sciences Polar Research Board.[1][2]

The Polar Regions are among the main geographical focuses of Bell's research. She has led, co-led, or coordinated nine major aero-geophysical expeditions to Antarctica and Greenland[1] primarily investigating ice sheet dynamics and mass balance and continental dynamics with bearing on present and future climate.[12][13] Her polar research has led to a number of important scientific discoveries. She discovered a volcano beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet[14] as well as several large lakes locked beneath two miles of ice.[15][16] During the International Polar Year, Bell lead a major expedition the Antarctica to explore the last unknown mountain range on Earth[8][13][17][18] the completely ice-covered Gamburtsev Mountains.[19] Her research in the Gamburtsev Mountains demonstrated that water hidden beneath the ice sheet runs uphill[20] and that ice sheets can thicken from below, overturning long-held assumptions about ice sheets.[21][22][23] Bell also is the lead Primary Investigator on the ROSETTA-Ice geophysical investigation of the Ross Ice Shelf[24][25] the continent's largest ice shelf.[26]

Bell's contributions to polar science also include the initiation of major technological developments: for example, Bell co-founded the first aerogeophysical research facility and conducted the first academic experimental demonstration of gravity with a small aircraft.[27] Together with LDEO Polar Geophysics engineers, Bell developed IcePod,[28] a bracket-mounted instrumentation suite that can be flown by LC130 aircraft operated in Greenland and Antarctica.

Bell also has initiated and led major research programs on the Hudson River for Columbia University.[1][29][30] One of her major projects has been to assemble and lead Lamont's Hudson Valley Estuary Project team to map the Hudson River from Staten Island to Albany. The team defined crucial habitats and contaminated deposits and also discovered dozens of sunken ships and artifacts dating back to the Revolutionary War.[1]

Bell also has contributed to the enhancement of diversity in science & engineering, and in particular, to the advancement of women in science.[31] She was Director of ADVANCE at The Earth Institute of Columbia University a National Science Foundation (USA)-funded program intended to Expand Opportunities for Women in Science & Engineering;[32] and she led an experiment in institutional transformation at Columbia University and affiliates in the Northeastern USA. She also is an advocate of education, integrating outreach, public education, and higher education through initiatives such as the Earth2Class education resource for teachers[33] and Polar Explorer: Sea Level, an app released by the LDEO Polar exploration group.[34][35]

In total Bell has contributed to over 100 peer-reviewed publications,[3][36] as well as US Senate testimonies,[3][27][37] National Academy reports[3] and popular media publications.[38][39] She is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union,[3] and has held a number of advisory committee memberships and directorships. She is currently Co-Chair of the US National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Development of a Strategic Vision for the U.S. Antarctic Program,[36] Past President of AGU Crysphere Science Division,[40] and AGU President-Elect, 2017–2019.

Awards and honors

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  • 2019–2021: President of the American Geophysical Union[41]
  • 2017: President-Elect of the American Geophysical Union[42]
  • 2011: Elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union[43][44]
  • 2006: Honorary Doctorate of Science, Middlebury College[5]
  • 2005: National Academy of Sciences's Polar Research Board named a mile-long Antarctic ridge, Bell Buttress, after Bell in honor of her two terms as head of the board[2]
  • 1996: Emma Willard School Young Alumnae Award[3]
  • 1992: Stroke Doherty Junior Scientist Award[3]
  • 1988: Outstanding Student Paper, Geodesy – Fall AGU[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Robin Bell – The Earth Institute". earthinstitute.columbia.edu. Columbia University. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  2. ^ a b c d "Lamont–Doherty on the Map". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Columbia University. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Robin Elizabeth Bell". Leadership. American Geophysical Union. 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  4. ^ "Robin E. Bell | Earth and Environmental Sciences". eesc.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  5. ^ a b "News room". Middlebury College. 2006. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  6. ^ "The Explorers Club – Events – Public Lecture Series with Robin Bell". explorers.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  7. ^ "Bell, Seager Appointed PGI Senior Scientists | Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  8. ^ a b Bell, Robin. "Dispatches from the Bottom of the Earth: An Antarctic Expedition in Search of Lost Mountains Encased in Ice". Scientific American. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  9. ^ Workshop, Committee on International Polar Year 2007–2008: Report of the Implementation; Board, Polar Research; Studies, Division on Earth and Life; Council, National Research (2005-02-04). Planning for the International Polar Year 2007–2008: Report of the Implementation Workshop. National Academies Press. ISBN 9780309094375.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Polar Year 'hailed as a success'". BBC. 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  11. ^ "Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World—Online Proceedings for the 10th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences". pubs.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  12. ^ "Influence of subglacial geology on the onset of a West Antarctic ice stream from aerogeophysical observations | Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  13. ^ a b Wilford, John Noble (2011-12-12). "Amazing Race to the Bottom of the World". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  14. ^ "Robin Bell". beta.global.columbia.edu. Columbia Global. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  15. ^ Bell, Robin E.; Studinger, Michael; Fahnestock, Mark A.; Shuman, Christopher A. (2006-01-01). "Tectonically controlled subglacial lakes on the flanks of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, East Antarctica". Geophysical Research Letters. 33 (2): L02504. Bibcode:2006GeoRL..33.2504B. doi:10.1029/2005GL025207. hdl:11603/24280. ISSN 1944-8007.
  16. ^ "Two New Lakes Found Beneath Antarctic Ice Sheet | Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  17. ^ "Robin Bell and Michael Studinger discuss what AGAP hopes to find in Antarctica". nsf.gov. National Science Foundation.
  18. ^ "AGAP Antarctic Research: Peering Through The Ice". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  19. ^ "Researchers Unravel Origins of Antarctica's Ice-Covered Mountains". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  20. ^ "Dr. Robin Bell, Columbia University – Subglacial Lakes of Antarctica". wamc.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  21. ^ "Some Antarctic Ice is Forming from Bottom | Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  22. ^ "It's Bottoms Up For Antarctic Ice Sheets". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  23. ^ Bell, Robin E.; Ferraccioli, Fausto; Creyts, Timothy T.; Braaten, David; Corr, Hugh; Das, Indrani; Damaske, Detlef; Frearson, Nicholas; Jordan, Thomas (2011-03-03). "Widespread Persistent Thickening of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet by Freezing from the Base". Science. 331 (6024): 1592–5. Bibcode:2011Sci...331.1592B. doi:10.1126/science.1200109. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 21385719. S2CID 45110037.
  24. ^ "ROSETTA:Decoding ice, ocean and tectonic mysteries". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  25. ^ "Uncovering the Ross Ocean and Ice Shelf Environment and Tectonic setting Through Aerogeophysical Surveys and Modeling". www.nsf.gov. Award #1443534. National Science Foundation. 2015. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  26. ^ "Education". www.bas.ac.uk. British Antarctic Survey. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  27. ^ a b "International Polar Year". www.nationalacademies.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  28. ^ "Exploring Antarctica by Sea, Air and Land". Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  29. ^ "HudsonResearch". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  30. ^ Nitsche, Frank O.; Bell, Robin; Carbotte, Suzanne M.; Ryan, William B. F.; Flood, Roger (2004-08-30). "Process-related classification of acoustic data from the Hudson River Estuary". Marine Geology. 209 (1–4): 131–145. Bibcode:2004MGeol.209..131N. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2004.05.023.
  31. ^ Bell, Robin (2016-02-24). "Changes on the ice". Nature. 530 (7591): 507. doi:10.1038/nj7591-507a.
  32. ^ "News Archive – The Earth Institute". www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu. Columbia University. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  33. ^ "Bringing Earth Science to the Classroom". earth2class.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  34. ^ "New App Explores Ice and Sea Level Change Through Time – The Earth Institute". www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu. Columbia University. 2015. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  35. ^ "Polar Explorer: Sea Level". www.polar-observer.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  36. ^ a b A Strategic Vision for NSF Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research. The National Academies Press. 2015. doi:10.17226/21741. ISBN 978-0-309-37367-8.
  37. ^ "Invest in Geoscience Research to Protect Polar Regions, Speakers Urge Capitol Hill Audience". AAAS – The World's Largest General Scientific Society. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  38. ^ "Stories by Robin Bell". Scientific American. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  39. ^ "Subglacial Lakes of Antarctica". wamc.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  40. ^ "Cryosphere Sciences". Leadership. 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  41. ^ "From the Prow _ Posts by Robin E Bell". 24 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  42. ^ "Bell to Be AGU President-Elect/Leadership Transition Begins". EOS. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-28.
  43. ^ "Union Fellows". Honors Program. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  44. ^ "Two Veteran Researchers Named AGU Fellows". www.ldeo.columbia.edu. Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
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