Gerald R. Dickens
Encyclopedia
Gerald R. Dickens is Professor
of Earth Science
at Rice University
, and is a leading researcher into the past history of the world’s oceans, with respect to the changing patterns of their geology, chemistry and biology.
'Jerry' Dickens's degrees are a PhD
from the University of Michigan
in Oceanography
(1996), M.S.
from the University of Michigan
in Oceanography (1993), and a B.S.
from the University of California
1989. From 2001 to 2005 Dickens was a Member of the Editorial Board of the magazine Geology
, published by the Geological Society of America
, and from 2001 to 2004 was an Associate Editor of Paleoceanography
, published by the American Geophysical Union
. From December 2005 to December 2009 Dickens was the Editor in Chief of Paleoceanography.
Dickens was Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at James Cook University
in Australia
from 1997 to 2001. He was appointed an Associate Professor at Rice University in August 2001, becoming a full Professor
in June 2008. In 2003 Dickens received the 2002/2003 Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, and in 2008 the Distinguished Lecturer Award of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists
(AAPG).
Dickens was interviewed for the BBC
's Horizon documentary series in 2002 in a programme called 'The Day the Earth Nearly Died'. He was also interviewed on the History Channel's 'Mega Disasters' which focused on eruptions of methane gas deep in the ocean. The one-hour programme aired on October 9 and 10 2008. In the interview Dickens claimed that Methane
had been identified as a cause for catastrophic disasters about 55 million years ago. From 2005 to 2010, he served as Master of Martel College at Rice University
.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Earth Science
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, and is a leading researcher into the past history of the world’s oceans, with respect to the changing patterns of their geology, chemistry and biology.
'Jerry' Dickens's degrees are a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
(1996), M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Oceanography (1993), and a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
1989. From 2001 to 2005 Dickens was a Member of the Editorial Board of the magazine Geology
Geology (journal)
Geology is a publication of the Geological Society of America . The GSA claims that it is the most widely read scientific journal in the field of earth science...
, published by the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
, and from 2001 to 2004 was an Associate Editor of Paleoceanography
Paleoceanography
Paleoceanography is the study of the history of the oceans in the geologic past with regard to circulation, chemistry, biology, geology and patterns of sedimentation.- Source of information :...
, published by the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
. From December 2005 to December 2009 Dickens was the Editor in Chief of Paleoceanography.
Dickens was Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at James Cook University
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
from 1997 to 2001. He was appointed an Associate Professor at Rice University in August 2001, becoming a full Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in June 2008. In 2003 Dickens received the 2002/2003 Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, and in 2008 the Distinguished Lecturer Award of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists is one of the world's largest professional geological societies with over 31,000 members as of 2007. The AAPG works to advance the science of geology , to promote technology, and to inspire high professional conduct...
(AAPG).
Dickens was interviewed for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Horizon documentary series in 2002 in a programme called 'The Day the Earth Nearly Died'. He was also interviewed on the History Channel's 'Mega Disasters' which focused on eruptions of methane gas deep in the ocean. The one-hour programme aired on October 9 and 10 2008. In the interview Dickens claimed that Methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
had been identified as a cause for catastrophic disasters about 55 million years ago. From 2005 to 2010, he served as Master of Martel College at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
.
Selected publications
Dickens has authored or co-authored over 90 scientific papers including:- Dickens, G.R. "The riddle of the clays." Nature Geoscience, 1 (2008): 86-88.
- Dickens, G.R. "Methane release from gas hydrates." Fire in the Ice, Summer (2008): 9-12.
- Dickens, G.R. & J.M. Francis "Comment: A case for a comet impact trigger for the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum and carbon isotope excursion." Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2004).
- Fielding, C.R., J.D. Trueman, Dickens, G.R., *M. Page "Response of a major river system to the last glacial cycle: geomorphology and internal architecture of the ancestral Burdekin River across the Great Barrier Reef shelf, northeast Australia." International Association of Sedimentologists Special Publication (2004).(In Press)
- Dickens, G.R. "Rethinking the global carbon cycle with a large, dynamic and microbially mediated gas hydrate capacitor." Earth and Planetary Science Letters (Frontiers), 213 (2003): 169-182.
- Dickens, G.R., D. Schroeder, K.U. Hinrichs & the Leg 201 Scientific Party "The pressure core sampler (PCS) on Ocean Drilling Program Leg 201: General operations and gas release." Initial Reports of the Ocean Drilling Program, 201 (2003).
- Dickens, G.R. "A methane trigger for rapid warming." Science, 299 (2003): 1017.
- Dickens, G.R., T. Fewless, E. Thomas & T.J. Bralower "Excess barite accumulation during the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum: Massive input of dissolved barium from seafloor gas hydrate reservoirs." Causes and Consequences of Globally Warm Climates in the Early Paleogene, Geological Society of America Special Publication, 369 (2003): 11-23.
- Dickens, G.R. "Data Report: Dissolved manganese concentrations in deep drill holes off New Zealand (ODP Leg 181)." Proceedings ODP, Scientific Reports, 181 (2002): http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/181_SR/202/20.
- Dickens, G.R. "Sulfate profiles and barium fronts in sediment on the Blake Ridge: Present and past methane fluxes through a large gas hydrate reservoir." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 65 (2001): 529-543.
- Dickens, G.R. "The potential volume of oceanic methane hydrates with variable external conditions." Organic Geochemistry, 32 (2001): 1179-1193.
- Dickens, G.R. "Carbon addition and removal during the late Paleocene thermal maximum: Basic theory with a preliminary treatment of the isotope record at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1051, Blake Nose." Western North Atlantic Palaeogene and Cretaceous Paleoceanography, Geological Society London Special Publication, 183 (2001): 293-306.
- Dickens, G.R. "Modeling the global carbon cycle with a gas hydrate capacitor: Significance for the Latest Paleocene thermal maximum." Natural Gas Hydrates: Occurrence, Distribution and Detection, AGU Geophysical Monograph Series, 124 (2001): 19-38.
- Dickens, G, N. Exon, D. Holdway, Y. Lafoy, J-M Auzende, G. Dunbar & R. Summons "Quaternary sediment cores from the Southern Fairway Basin on the northern Lord Howe Rise (Tasman Sea)." Australian Geological Survey Organisation Record, 31 (2001): 29 pp..
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0605195/Dickens on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
] - http://cohesion.rice.edu/naturalsciences/earthscience/facultyDetail.cfm?riceid=213Dickens's Research Statement at Rice UniversityRice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
] - Biography at Rice University
- Publications list at Scientific Commons
- Dickens's Academic Profile
- Dickens and the 2008-09 AAPG Distinguished Lecture
- http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ldOG8IJX6EwVideo of Dickens interviewed in the NASA Climate Report on Global Warming from YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
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