Kendrick C. Taylor

Current Professional Interests:

Dr. Taylor is a Research Professor with the Division of Hydrologic Sciences in the Desert Research Institute.  Much of his work has focused on understanding the causes of climate change.  He has been involved with ice core paleoclimate studies since 1981 and has worked on every United States deep ice coring project during that time. Taylor is the Chief Scientist for the NSF funded WAIS Divide ice coring program in Antarctica. As Chief Scientist he is responsible for understanding and advocating for the two dozen different science projects that are involved with this program. This involves coordinating research, logistics, and drilling organizations, and working with the National Science Foundation to assure the program produces the most science possible with the resources that are available. He has been a public spokesperson for issues related to rapid climate change with numerous contributions to national print, radio and television media.

Education:

Ph.D., Hydrogeology/Hydrology, University of Nevada, Reno (1986)
M.S., Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1982)
B.S., Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden (1979)

Professional Experience:

1999 to present            Research Professor, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Nevada System of Higher Education

2004 to present           Chief Scientist for the WAIS Divide Ice Core Program which is a major element of the United States International Polar Year effort.

2004 to 2005               Deputy Director of Nevada NSF EPSCoR program.

2004                            Organized the first meeting of the “International Partners in Ice Core Science” which is now an international effort to coordinate and facilitate international deep ice coring projects that involves 23 nations.

2000 to 2004               Conducted research on the cause of the decreasing water clarity at Lake Tahoe.

1995 to 2000               Served as the Chief Scientist for the Siple Dome ice core project and made electrical measurements of the core.

1989 to 1999               Associate Research Professor, Desert Research Institute. Used polar ice cores for paleoclimate investigations including work on the GISP2, Greenland and Taylor Dome, Antarctica ice cores.  Also lead groundwater exploration projects in Nevada, Oman and Ghana.

1985 to 1989               Assistant Research Professor, Desert Research Institute, Developed borehole geophysical methods to characterize the spatial variability of aquifer hydraulic properties.

1981 to 1983               Research Assistant an the University of Wisconsin, Madison and participated in field work in Greenland and Antarctica

1979 to 1981               Field geophysicist for a geothermal exploration company

Involvement with Professional Organizations:

Initial organizer of the International Partners in Ice Core Science, which is an effort involving 23 nations to coordinate deep ice coring efforts.

Ice core working group member, 1993–1997; 2002 to present

Members of this committee are elected their by their peers in the ice coring community to represent the communities interests to the National Science Foundation.

West Antarctic Ice Sheet Project Executive Committee, member, 1996–present

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Project is a multidisciplinary NSF-funded investigation of the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Paleoenvironments from Ice Cores (PICE), member, 1997–2002

This is a subcommittee of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research  (SCAR) that is involved with the international coordination of ice coring activities.

Member of the International Glaciological Society, Society of Exploration Geophysics, American Geophysical Union, Society of Engineering and Environmental Geophysics, and National Water Well Association.

Reviewing Activities:

Taylor has reviewed proposal and articles for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey, Nature, Science, the Journal of Geophysical Research, The Journal of Glaciology, Groundwater, Water Resources Research, Geophysics, and The Holocene.  Taylor has severed on NOAA and NSF proposal review panels. 

Awards:

Dandini Medal (1999): This award is made to a DRI scientist who has developed an international reputation for the contributions they have made to their field of science.

Mackay School of Mines, Alumni of the year (1997): This award is made to an alumni of the Mackay School of mines who has achieved a high level of distinguishtion in the their field.

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Teaching:

Taylor has taught graduate courses on Hydrogeophysics and Introduction to Hydrogeology at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Research Grants:

Except where noted Taylor is the only Principle Investigator on these projects.

 

Subsurface Geophysical Methods for Hazardous Waste Site Investigation

Grantor:  Environmental Protection Agency

Grant amount:  $1,600,000 Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  3/89                  End date:  4/92

The geophysics portion of this EPA-funded cooperative agreement ($800,000) was written by Taylor.  The project developed strategies for using borehole geophysical methods to locate groundwater contamination and characterize the hydraulic properties of the subsurface. (Co P.I. with Steve Wheatcraft)

 

Surface Geophysical Instrumentation

Grantor:  Department of Defense

Grant amount:  $104,000    Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  10/88                End date:  9/89

This equipment grant was used to upgrade DRI's geophysical instrumentation.

 

Application of Transient Electromagnetics to Groundwater Investigations

Grantor:  U.S. Geological Survey and Washoe County, Nevada

Grant amount:  $49,000      Competition:  State request for proposals

Start date:  6/89                  End date:  5/90

This project used transient electromagnetic methods for groundwater exploration in Washoe County, Nevada.

 

Electrical Conductivity Measurements on the GISP2 Core

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $527,000    Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  3/90                  End date:  8/94

Electrical properties of the GISP2 Greenland ice core were measured leading to the development of a climate record extending 100,000 years into the past.  This research resulted in the discovery that major changes in climate frequently occurred in less than a decade.

 

Electrical Measurements on the Taylor Dome Core

      Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $74,000      Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  9/92                  End date:  2/95

The electrical properties of ice cores from Antarctica were measured providing a climate record extending 150,000 years into the past and demonstrating the regional response of climate changes in Antarctica.

 

Interpretation of the GISP2 Record

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $210,000    Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  8/94                  End date:  7/98

This project involved the interpretation of the 100,000 year climate record developed from the GISP2 ice core and showed that results reported by other researchers could not be replicated.

 

Recovery and Science Coordination of an Ice Core at Siple Dome, Antarctica

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $707,000    Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  6/96                  End date:  5/03

The grant supported the coordination of all science and logistical activities related to the   recovery and interpretation of a 1,000 meter Antarctic ice core.

 

Electrical and Optical Measurements on the Siple Dome Ice Core

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $341,000    Competition:  National peer review

Start date:  3/96                  End date:  2/04

Paleoclimate records from a 1,000m Antarctic ice core were measured and interpreted. The records showed abrupt climate changes have occurred in Antarctica

 

Selection of Favorable Shallow Water Well Locations in Ghana

Grantor:  Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Grant amount:  $711,000    Competition:  Private request for proposals

Start date:  6/95                  End date:  10/97

This project developed remote sensing and surface geophysics methods to select favorable locations for water wells in fractured terrain, and trained staff from a local aid agency to independently utilize the method.

 

Investigation of the Cause of Near Shore Clarity Loss at Lake Tahoe

Grantors:  Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Nevada State Lands, California Water Quality  Control Board, United States Geological Survey

Grant amount:  $425,000    Competition:  California and Nevada competitions

Start date:  6/99                  End date:  5/04

This has been a series of 5 interrelated contracts investigating the Tahoe basin.

 

Preparations for Collection of a Deep Ice Core West Antarctica

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $215,000    Competition:  National Competition

Start date:  3/03                  End date:  3/07

This project established a Science Coordination Office for a deep ice coring project in West Antarctica and established Taylor as the Chief Scientist. Taylor is responsible for representing the science community in the planning and equipment development stages of the project. A proposal for the rest of the project will be submitted in June 2004.

 

Optical Imaging of Ice Cores

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $332,000    Competition:  National Competition

Start date:  6/03                  End date:  6/06

This project is developing an optical imaging system for ice cores. Taylor is advising Ken McGuire on applications of optical imaging to ice cores analysis. McGuire is doing the majority of the work. (Co P.I. with Ken McGuire and Richard Alley)

 

Development of a Plan for Multinational Ice Coring Projects

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $50,000      Competition:  Invited Solicitation

Start date:  11/03                End date:  7/04

This project was to host a workshop with representatives from 11 nations to identify large ice coring projects of interest to the international community and beginning the process of forming an international consortium to work on these projects.

 

NSF EPSCoR Project to Develop Nevada’s Research Infrastructure

Grantor: National Science Foundation     

Grant amount: $13,500,000            Competition: National Competition

Start Date: 5/05                               End Date: 5/08

This project is developing Nevada’s research infrastructure in the field of vadose zone transport, cognitive information processing, and environmental sensors. (Co P.I. with Denis Lindle)

 

Science Coordination of the WAIS Divide Ice Core

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $1,213,000 Competition:  National Competition

Start date:  6/05                  End date:  6/10

This project established the Science Coordination Office for the WAIS Divide ice core program which is responsible for coordinating the activities of the approximately 18 science groups and the logistics and drilling support teams.

 

Electrical Measurements on the WAIS Divide Ice Core

Grantor:  National Science Foundation

Grant amount:  $988,000    Competition:  National Competition

Start date:  6/05                  End date:  6/10

This project is making electrical measurements on the WAIS Divide ice core that are used to develop the time scale for the climate information recorded by the core.

Peer Reviewed Publications:  

*** Indicates most significant contributions

Taylor, K.C., A. Mazzella, and J. Hess, 1989.  Field evaluation of a slim hole borehole induction tool. Ground Water Monitoring Review, 9(1):100-104.

Taylor, K.C. and F. Molz, 1990.  Determination of hydraulic conductivity and porosity logs in wells with a disturbed annulus.  Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 5:317-332.

Taylor, K.C., S.W. Wheatcraft, J. Hess, J. Hayworth, and F. Molz, 1990.  Evaluation of methods for determining the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity.  Ground Water, 28(2):88-98.

Taylor, K.C., J. Hess, and A. Mazzella, 1990.  Comparison of methods to determine the vertical stratification of pore fluid.  Ground Water Monitoring Review, 10:91-94.

Taylor, K.C., R. Bochicchio, and M. Widmer, 1990.  A Transient Electromagnetic Survey to Define Hydrogeology. A Case History. Geoexploration, Elsevier Science Publishers, B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, Vol. 27, pp. 43-54.

Palais, J.M., K. Taylor, P.A. Mayewski, and P. Grootes, 1991.  Volcanic ash from the 1362 A.D. O'Refajokull eruption (Iceland) in the Greenland ice sheet.  Geophysical Research Letters, 18(7):1241-1244.

Taylor, K., M. Widmer and M. Chesley, 1992.  Use of transient electromagnetics to define local hydrogeology in an arid alluvial environment.  Geophysics, 57(2):343-352.

Taylor, K., M. Rose, and G. Lamorey, 1992.  Relationship of solar activity and climatic oscillations on the Colorado plateau.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 97(D14):15,803-15,811.

Taylor, K., R. Alley, J. Fiacco, P. Grootes, G. Lamorey, P. Mayewski, and M.J. Spencer, 1992. Ice-core dating and chemistry by direct-current electrical conductivity.  Journal of Glaciology, 38(130):325-332.

***Taylor, K.C., C.U. Hammer, R.B. Alley, H.B. Clausen, D. Dahl–Jensen, A.J. Gow, N.S. Gundestrup, J. Klipfstuhl, J.C. Moore, and E.D. Waddington, 1993.  Electrical conductivity measurements from the GISP2 and GRIP Greenland ice cores.  Nature, 366:549-552. 

Mayewski, P., L.D. Meeker, S. Whitlow, M.S. Twickler, M.C. Morrison, R.B. Alley, P. Bloomfield, and K. Taylor, 1993. The atmosphere during the Younger Dryas.  Science, 261:195-197.

***Taylor, K.C., G.W. Lamorey, G.A. Doyle, R.B. Alley, P.M. Grootes, P.A. Mayewski, J.W.C. White, and L.K. Barlow, 1993.  The `flickering switch' of late Pleistocene climate change. Nature, 361:432-436.  

Alley, R.B., D.A. Meese, C.A. Shuman, A.J. Gow, K.C. Taylor, P.M. Grootes, J.W.C. White, M. Ram, E.D. Waddington, P.A. Mayewski, and G.A. Zielinski, 1993.  Abrupt increase in Greenland snow accumulation at the end of the Younger Dryas event.  Nature, 362:527-529.

Meese, D.A., A.J. Gow, P. Grootes, P.A. Mayewski, M. Ram, M. Stuiver, K.C. Taylor, E.D. Waddington, and G.A. Zielinski, 1994.  The accumulation record from the GISP2 core as an indicator of climate change throughout the Holocene.  Science, 266:1680-1682.

Mayewski, P.A., M. Wumkes, J. Klinck, M.S. Twickler, J.S. Putscher, K.C. Taylor, A.J. Gow, E.D. Waddington, R.B. Alley, J.E. Gibb, P.M. Grootes, D.A. Meese, M. Ram, M. Whalen, and A.T. Wilson, 1994.  Record drilling depth struck in Greenland.  EOS, 75(10):113.

Mayewski, P.A., L.D. Meeker, S. Whitlow, M.S. Twickler, M.C. Morrison, P. Bloomfield, G.C. Bond, R.B. Alley, A.J. Gow, P.M. Grootes, D.A. Meese, M. Ram, K.C. Taylor, and W. Wumkes, 1994. Changes in atmospheric circulation and ocean ice cover over the north Atlantic during the last 41K years.  Science, 263:1747-1751.

Mayewski, P.A., B. Lyons, G. Zielinski, M. Twickler, S. Whitlow, J. Dibb, P. Grootes, K. Taylor, P. Whung, L. Fosberry, C. Wake, and K. Welch, 1994.  An ice core based, late Holocene history for the transantarctic mountains, Antarctica.  Antarctic Research Series, 67:33-45.

Chylek, P., B. Johnson, P.A. Damiano, K.C. Taylor, and P. Clement, 1995.  Biomass burning record and black carbon in the GISP2 ice core.  Geophysical Research Letters, 22(2):89-92.

Zielinski, G.A., M.S. Germani, G. Larsen, M.G.L. Baillie, S. Whitlow, M.S. Twickler, and K. Taylor, 1995.  Evidence of the Eldgjá (Iceland) eruption in the GISP2 Greenland ice core: Relationship to eruption processes and climatic conditions in the tenth century.  The Holocene, 5(2):129-140.

Taylor, K.C., R.B. Alley, G.W. Lamorey and P. Mayewski, 1995.  Electrical conductivity measurements on the GISP2 core. Arctic Research of the United States, 9:27-29.

Taylor, K.C., P.A. Mayewski, M.S. Twickler, and S.I. Whitlow, 1996.  Biomass burning recorded in the GISP2 ice core: A record from eastern Canada?  The Holocene, 6(1):1-6.

Zielinski, G.A., P.A. Mayewski, L.D. Meeker, S. Whitlow, M.S. Twickler, and K. Taylor, 1996. Potential atmospheric impact of the Toba mega-eruption ~71,000 years ago.  Geophysical Research Letters, 23(8):837-840.

Mayewski, P.A., M.S. Twickler, S.I. Whitlow, L.D. Meeker, Q. Yang, J. Thomas, K. Kreutz, P.M. Grootes, D.L. Morse, E.J. Steig, E.D. Waddington, E.S. Saltzman, P.Y. Whung, and K.C. Taylor, 1996.  Climate change during the last deglaciation in Antarctica.  Science, 272(5268):1636.

Yang, Q., P.A. Mayewski, G.A. Zielinski, M. Twickler, and K.C. Taylor, 1996.  Depletion of atmospheric nitrate and chloride as a consequence of the Toba volcanic eruption. Geophysical Research Letters, 23(18):2513-2516.

Zielinski, G.A., P.A. Mayewski, L.D. Meeker, K. Grönvold, M.S. Germani, S. Whitlow, M.S. Twickler, and K. Taylor, 1996.  Volcanic aerosol records and tephrochronology of the Summit, Greenland, ice cores.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 102:26,625-26,641.

Alley, R.B., P.A. Mayewski, T. Sowers, M. Stuiver, K.C. Taylor, and P.U. Clark, 1997. Holocene climatic instability; A prominent, widespread event 8,200 years ago.  Geology, 25(6):483-486.

Taylor K.C., R. B. Alley, G. W. Lamorey, and P. M. Mayweski, 1997.  Electrical measurements on the GISP2 core.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 102:26,511-26,519.

***Taylor, K.C., P.A. Mayewski, R.B. Alley, E.J. Brook, A.J. Gow, P.M. Grootes, D.A. Meese, E.S. Saltzman, J.P. Severinghaus, M.S. Twickler, J.W.C. White, S. Whitlow, and G.A. Zielinski, 1997.  The Holocene/Younger Dryas transition recorded at Summit, Greenland. Science, 278:825-827.

Alley, R.B., C.A. Shuman, D.A. Meese, A.J. Gow, K.C. Taylor, K. M. Cuffey, J.J. Fitzpatrick, P.M. Grootes, G.A. Zielinski, M. Ram, G. Spinelli, and B. Elder, 1998. Visual-stratigraphic dating of the GISP2 ice core: Basis, reproducibility and application.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 102:26,367-26,383.

Messe D.A., A.J. Gow, R.B. Alley, G.A. Zielinski, P.M. Grootes, M. Ram, K.C. Taylor, P.A. Mayewski, and J.F. Bolzan, 1998. The GISP2 depth-age scale: Methods and results.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 102, 26,411-26,425.

Smith, H.J., M. Wahlen, D. Mastroianni , K. Taylor, and P.M. Mayewski, 1998.  The CO2 concentration of air trapped in GISP2 formed during periods of rapid climate change.  Journal of Geophysical Research, 102:26,577-26,583.

Thorsteinsson, T., E.D. Waddington, K.C. Taylor, R.B. Alley, and D.D. Blankenship, 1999. Strain rate enhancement at Dye 3, Greenland.  Journal of Glaciology, 45:150, 338.

Taylor, K.C., T.B. Minor, M.M. Chesley, and K. Matanawi, 1998.  Cost effectiveness of well site selection methods in a fractured aquifer.  Ground Water, 37:24,271-275.

***Taylor, K.C., Rapid Climate Change, 1999.  American Scientist, July-August, 320-327.

McConnell J., G. Lamorey, S. Lambert, and K. Taylor, 2002. Continuous Ice Core Chemical Analyses Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Environmental Science Technology 36:7-11.

Hawley, R., E.D. Waddington, R.B. Alley, and K.C. Taylor, 2003. Annual layers in polar firn detected by borehole optical stratigraphy. Geophysical Research Letters, 30(5):1788-1794.

J. Anh, M. Wahlen, B. Deck, E. Brook, P. Mayewski, K. Taylor, and J. White, 2004. A record of atmospheric CO2 during the last 40,000 years from the Siple Dome, Antarctica ice core. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109(D13305):1-8.

***Taylor, K.C., J.W.C. White, J.P. Severinghaus, E.J. Brook, P.A. Mayewski, R.B. Alley, E.J. Steig, M.K. Spencer, E. Meyerson, D.A. Meese, G.W. Lamorey, A. Grachev, A.J. Gow and B.A. Barnett, 2004. Abrupt late glacial climate change in the Pacific sector of AntarcticaQuaternary Science Reviews, 23:7-17.

Taylor, K.C. and R.B. Alley, 2004. Two dimensional electrical stratigraphy of the Siple Dome, Antarctica ice core. Journal of Glaciology, 50(169):231-235.

Taylor, K.C., R.B. Alley, D.A. Meese, M.K. Spencer, E.J. Brook, N.W. Dunbar, R. Finkel, A.J. Gow, A.V. Kurbatov, G.W. Lamorey, P.A. Mayewski, E. Meyerson, K. Nishiizumi and G.A. Zielinski, 2004. Dating the Siple Dome, Antarctica ice core by manual and computer interpretation of annual layering.

Taylor, K.C.; Alley, R.B., 2004.

Two-dimensional electrical stratigraphy of the Siple Dome (Antarctica) ice core. Journal of Glaciology. v.169. s.50. pp.231-235.

Waddington, E.D.; Conway, H.; Steig, E.J.; Alley, R.B.; Brook, E.J.; Taylor, K.C.; White, J.W.C., 2005.

Decoding the dipstick: Thickness of Siple Dome, West Antarctica, at the Last Glacial Maximum. Geology. v.33. s.4. pp.281-284. ISI:000228127100011.

Bentley, C.R.; Taylor, K.C.; Shturmakov, A.J.; Mason, W.P.; Emmell, G.R.; Lebar, D.A., 2005.

Coring to the West Antarctic ice sheet bed with a new Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) drill. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, CA.

Taylor, K.C., 2005.

Results from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Project. Naples, Italy.

Taylor, K.C., 2005.

Computer Assisted Interpretation of Ice Core Annual Layers. Copenhagen, Denmark.

Taylor, K.C., 2006.

History of Ice Core Science. A 2800 word invited article published in the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science.

Taylor, K.C., 2006.

Ice Core Conductivity Studies. A 3,100 word invited article published in the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science.

Ahn, J.; Headly, M.; Wahlen, M.; Brook, E.J.; Mayewski, P.A.; Taylor, K.C, 2008 (submitted).

CO2 diffusion in polar ice: observations from naturally formed CO2 spikes in the Siple Dome (Antarctica) ice core. J. Glaciology. v.54. n.188. pp.685-695.

McGwire, K.C.; Alley, R.B.; Banta, J.R.; Hargreaves, G.M.; McConnell, J.R.; Taylor, K.C. , 2008.

Dating annual layers of a shallow Antarctic Ice core with an optical scanner. Journal of Glaciology. v.54. n.188. pp.831-838.

Banta, J.R.; McConnell, J.R. ; Frey, M.; Taylor, K. , 2008.

Spatial and temporal variability in snow accumulation at WAIS Divide over recent centuries. Journal of Geophysical Research. v.113. doi:10.1029/2008JD01235.

 

 

Contact Information

 

Address:  Professor Kendrick Taylor

                Division of Hydrological Sciences

                Desert Research Institute

                Nevada System of Higher Education

                2215 Raggio Parkway

                Reno, NV 89511

                Email: Kendrick@dri.edu              

                Phone: 775.673.7375                 

                Fax: 775.673.7363