Tali Babila, PhD

Case4Climate Lab: sites.google.com/case.edu/babila 

 

My research investigates the links between climate, oceans, and biogeochemical cycles in the geologic past to understand the global carbon cycle under high-CO₂ greenhouse climates and improve projections of future climate change. How does the Earth system respond to climate forcings and carbon-cycle feedbacks? What is the state dependency of climate sensitivity? How resilient are Earth’s climate and ecosystems to crossing tipping points, and what are the potential consequences and pathways to recovery? My toolkit combines ocean expeditions, sediment drilling, foraminiferal geochemical proxies, mass spectrometry, culture experiments, and Earth-system modeling. A major focus is the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum, ~56 million years ago, a rapid greenhouse warming event triggered by a large carbon release and considered one of the best geologic analogs for anthropogenic global change. I use individual foraminifera, treating each shell as an independent snapshot, to recover climate variability, extremes, and rates of change. I link modern to ancient by studying living foraminifera with culture experiments and microelectrodes to quantify how physiology and seawater chemistry influence biomineralization and geochemical proxies. My teaching uses experiential learning to build Earth-system thinking and equip students with the scientific knowledge and communication skills to engage with contemporary environmental challenges.