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Joel D. Blum uses isotopes to solve an unusually wide range of research problems. Renowned for innovative approaches, Blum, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan, was among the first scientists to apply methods developed largely for lunar and planetary studies to answer longstanding questions about ecology and the environment. His research group has also developed methods for making high-precision measurements of metallic element isotope ratios in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric systems. Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020, Blum used mercury isotopic signatures to investigate the world’s deepest ocean trenches, and the findings are reported in his Inaugural Article (1). Blum and his colleagues found that anthropogenic mercury reaches these remote areas primarily via sinking fish carcasses, an insight that could aid global mercury pollution reduction efforts.
Joel Blum. Image credit: Alec Tremaine (photographer).
Family of Outdoor Enthusiasts
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Blum was influenced by his parents. His father, who was a professor of applied social science at Case Western Reserve University, inspired Blum’s interest in research. His mother, an avid outdoorswoman, shared her enjoyment of hiking, skiing, and other activities. Blum says, “As a family, we camped and hiked and traveled every summer. Not surprisingly, my brother Alex became a geologist.”
For his undergraduate studies, Blum attended Case Western Reserve University, where he initially majored in political science. He decided, however, that geology was more compatible with one of his favorite pastimes, mountain climbing, and added a geology double major. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in 1981, Blum went to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, for a Master’s degree in geological science.
Isotope Geochemistry Off the Grid
Desiring to stay in Alaska, Blum took a job as an exploration geologist for a mining company in 1982. He then became a project supervisor for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, …
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- Mercury Isotopes in Environmental Geochemistry
- From the Surface to Deepest Trenches
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