Jeremy Shakun

Jeremy is a paleoclimatologist interested in using the geologic record of past climate to inform our understanding of future climate change. He has been working with Paul Bierman and Lee Corbett since 2010 to reconstruct the stability of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets over the past several million years from downcore records of cosmogenic nuclides in marine sediments. They have more recently been reconstructing the 3-D collapse of the southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet by measuring ¹⁰Be dipsticks down New England mountainsides.

PhD disseration, Geology (Oregon State University, 2010)

Analyzing large paleoclimate datasets: Implications for past and future climate change

MS Thesis, Geology (Univeristy of Massachusetts-Amherst, 2006)

A high-resolution speleothem record of Indian Ocean climate over the last glacial termination

BA Thesis, Geology (Middlebury College, 2003)

Last Glacial Maximum equilibrium-line altitudes and paleoclimate, northeastern Utah

Undergraduate Degree

Middlebury College, B.A. Geology, Summa Cum Laude, 2003

Current Position and Contact Information (7/2018)

Associate Professor
Boston College
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Devlin Hall 213
140 Commonwealth Ave.
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Refereed Papers

Halsted, C. T, Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J. D., Davis, P. T., and Corbett, L. B., (2023) A critical re-analysis of constraints on the timing and rate of Laurentide Ice Sheet recession in the northeastern United States, Journal of Quaternary Science. 110.1002/jqs.3563

LeBlanc, D. E., Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Caffee, M. W., and Hidy, A. (2023) Laurentide Ice Sheet persistence during Pleistocene interglacials, Geology. doi.org/10.1130/G50820.1

Halsted,C., Bierman,P., Shakun, J., Davis, P. T., Corbett, L., Caffee, M., Hodgdon, T., and Licciardi, J. (2022) Rapid southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet thinning during the last deglaciation revealed by elevation profiles of in-situ cosmogenic 10Be, GSA Bulletin. doi.org/10.1130/B36463.1

Koester, A. J., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Corbett, L. B., Goehring, B.M., Vickers, A. C., Zimmerman, S. R., (2020) Laurentide Ice Sheet thinning and erosive regimes at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, inferred from multiple cosmogenic nuclides, GSA Special Paper. doi.org/10.1130/2020.2548(15)

Corbett, L., Bierman, P. R., Neumann, T. A., Graly, J. A., Shakun, J. D., Goehring, B. M., Hidy, A. J., Caffee, M.W., (2020) Measuring multiple cosmogenic nuclides in glacial cobbles sheds light on Greenland Ice Sheet processes, Earth and Planetary Science Letters. doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116673

Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Wright,S., Shakun, J., Davis, P.T., Goehring, B., Halsted, C., Koester, A., Caffee, M., and Zimmerman, S. (2018) Analysis of multiple cosmogenic nuclides constrains Laurentide Ice Sheet history and process on Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, Quaternary Science Reviews. doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.12.014

Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Underwood, K., Rizzo, D. M., Zimmerman, S. R., Caffee, M. and Naish, T. (2018) Minimal East Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat onto land during the past 8 Myr. Nature. v. 558, p. 284-287. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0155-6
(see press coverage)

Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J., Portenga, E., Rood, D, and Corbett, L. B. (2018). Directly dating post-glacial Greenlandic emergence at high resolution using in situ ¹⁰Be. Quaternary Research. Published online: 12 April 2018. doi:10.1017/qua.2018.6

Koester, A., Shakun, J., Bierman, P. R.R., Corbett, L. B., Davis, P.T., Braun, D. and Zimmerman, S. (2017) Rapid thinning of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in coastal Maine, USA during late Heinrich Stadial 1. Quaternary Science Reviews. v. 163, p. 180-192. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.03.005

Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J., Rood, D, Corbett, L. B. and Zimmerman, S. (2016) Marine-sediment ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al records of a persistent and dynamic East Greenland Ice Sheet over the past 7.5 Myr. Nature. v. 540, p. 256–260. doi:10.1038/nature20147
(see press coverage)
(Vermont Public Radio interview)
(read Nature news report)
(read Todays Science report)

Nelson, A. H., Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J. D. and Rood, D. H. (2014) Using in situ cosmogenic ¹⁰Be to identify the source of sediment leaving Greenland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. v. 39, p. 1087-1100. doi:10.1002/esp.3565

Abstracts

Cavnar, P., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., Shakun, J.D., and LeBlanc, D.E. 2023. Cosmogenic 10Be Reveals Variable Laurentide Ice Sheet Erosivity under the Quebec-Labrador Ice Dome. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract ID C11D-1067. agu.confex.com/agu/fm23/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/1419514

LeBlanc, D.E., Hemming, S.R., Shakun, J.D., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Caffee, M.W., and Hidy, A.J. 2023. Reconstructing North Atlantic ice sheet history using a dual-proxy approach and synthesis of 40Ar/39Ar hornblende ages from ice-rafted debris. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract ID PP24A-03. agu.confex.com/agu/fm23/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/1292601

Davis, P.T., Halsted, C.T., Koester, A.J., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., Shakun, J.D., Goehring, B.M., and Caffee, M.W. 2022. Lack of MIS-3 ice in northern New England, USA, as constrained by multiple cosmogenic nuclides. Geological Society of American Annual Meeting, Denver, CO. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 54(5): 378207. doi.org/10.1130/abs/2022AM-378207

Drebber, J.S., Halsted, C.T., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., Shakun, J.D., Davis, P.T., and Caffee, M.W. 2022. Exploring the timing of Laurentide Ice Sheet retreat and 10Be/14C mismatch in central New England. Geological Society of American Annual Meeting, Denver, CO. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 54(5): 376711. doi.org/10.1130/abs/2022AM-376711

Drebber, J.S., Halsted, C.T., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., Shakun, J.D., Davis, P.T., and Caffee, M.W. 2022. Investigating 10Be/14C chronometer age divergence in Southern New England to assess the timing of Laurentide Ice Sheet deglaciation. Northeastern Geological Society of American Meeting, Lancaster, PA. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 54(3). doi.org/10.1130/abs/2022NE-374675

LeBlanc, D.E., Shakun, J.D., Kong, T., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Caffee, M.W., Hidy, A.J., and Wang, X.T. 2022. Investigating Pleistocene ice sheet and ocean dynamics in the subpolar North Atlantic using cosmogenic nuclides in IRD and foraminifera-bound nitrogen isotopes. 14th International Conference on Paleoceanography, Bergen, Norway. (download pdf)

Halsted, C.T., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., Shakun, J.D., Davis, P.T., and Caffee, M.W. 2021. Inaccuracies in deglacial chronometers recording Laurentide Ice Sheet retreat in the northeastern United States: presence, magnitude, and controls. Geological Society of America National Meeting, Portland, OR. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 53(6): 370802. doi.org/10.1130/abs/2021AM-370802

Halsted, C.T., Shakun, J.D., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Davis, P.T., Goehring, B., Koester, A.J., and Caffee, M.W. 2021. Rapid Laurentide Ice Sheet mass loss (and associated sea level rise) during the Bølling/Allerød constrained by 10Be elevation transects in the northeastern United States. Paleo Constraints on Sea Level Rise virtual meeting. (download pdf)

LeBlanc, D.E., Shakun, J.D., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., and Caffee, M. 2021. Cosmogenic nuclides in last glacial ice-rafted debris inform long-term Northern Hemisphere ice sheet history. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Abstract ID PP51A-03. agu.confex.com/agu/fm21/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/941004

Halsted, C.T., Shakun, J.D., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Davis, P.T., Goehring, B.M., Koester, A.J., and Caffee, M.W. 2020. Improved reconstruction of the southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet deglaciation: constraining ice thinning using in situ cosmogenic 10Be and 14C and critically evaluating different retreat rate chronometers. European Geosciences Union General Assembly Virtual Meeting. Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU2020-11787. doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-11787

Halsted, C. T., Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Goehring, B. M., Koester, A. J., and Caffee, M. W. (2019) Reconstructing the deglacial thinning history of the southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet using in-situ cosmogenic ¹⁰Be and ¹⁴C: a glacial dipstick approach. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. v. 51(5), Abstract 121-3. doi:10.1130/abs/2019AM-339553

Williamson, L., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J. D., and Rood, D. H. (2019) Rapid post-glacial emergence rates measured with ¹⁰Be match GPS-determined contemporary uplift rates in southeast Greenland. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. v. 51(5), Abstract 121-2. doi:10.1130/abs/2019AM-339223

Halsted, C. T., Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Koester, A. J., and Caffee, M. W. (2019) Determining the timing and rate of southeastern Laurentide ice sheet thinning using in-situ cosmogenic ¹⁰Be. GSA NE section meeting, Portland, ME. Abstract 13-4. doi:10.1130/abs/2019NE-327929

Fowler, B. K., Davis, P. T., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L. B., Mattison, P., and Mattison, R. (2019) A new cosmogenic exposure age for emplacement of New Hampshire's Madison boulder, reputedly the largest erratic in North America. GSA NE section meeting, Portland, ME. Abstract 13-5. doi:10.1130/abs/2019NE-327778

Bruan, D. D., Thompson, W. B., Davis, P. T., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., and Corbett, L. B. (2019) Correlation of the Eastern Maine Pineo Ridge system to moraines on Mount Desert Island through LiDAR imagery and ¹⁰Be Surface exposure ages. GSA NE section meeting, Portland, ME. Abstract 13-3. doi:10.1130/abs/2019NE-328006

Fowler, B. K., Davis, P. T., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L. B., Mattison, P., and Mattison, R. (2019) A new cosmogenic exposure age for emplacement of New Hampshire's Madison boulder, reputedly the largest erratic in North America. GSA Abstracts with Programs, SE section meeting, Charleston, SC. doi:10.1130/abs/2019NE-327778

Bierman, P., Corbett, L., and Shakun, J. (2018) Cosmogenic isotopes and the interpretation of Greenland’s long-term weathering history. MagellanPlus Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark. (download pdf)

Shakun, J., Halsted, C., Koester, A. J., Corbett, L. B., Goehring, B. M., Zimmerman, S. R. H., and Caffee, M. (2018) Constraining the timing and rate of southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet thinning during the last deglaciation with cosmogenic nuclide dipsticks. EOS, AGU Fall Meeting, Washington, D.C. Abstract PP13C-1335. (download pdf)

Halsted, C. T., Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Caffee, M. W., and Koester, A. J. (2018) Determining the timing and rate of southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet thinning using in-situ ¹⁰Be dipsticks. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN. v. 50(6), Abstract 92-6. doi:10.1130/abs/2018AM-324108

Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Wright, S. F., Shakun, J. D., Davis, P. T., Halsted, C. T., Goehring, B. M., Koester, A. J., Caffee, M. W., and Zimmerman, S. H. (2018) Multiple cosmogenic nuclides constrain Laurentide Ice Sheet history and process on Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak (invited presentation). GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN. v. 50(6), Abstract 92-5. doi:10.1130/abs/2018AM-316174

Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Underwood, K., Rizzo, D. M., Zimmerman, S. R., Caffee, M., Naish, T. and Golledge, N. R. Hay (2018) Eight million years of polar ice sheet variations from cosmogenic nuclides in marine sediments. Goldschmidt Conference, Boston. (download pdf)

Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Shakun, J. D., Koester, A. J. and Halsted, C. (2018) Constraining glacial history and process on Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, with in situ cosmogenic ¹⁰Be. GSA Abstracts with Programs, NE section meeting, Burlington, VT. v. 50(2), Abstract 26-4. doi:10.1130/abs/2018NE-310323

Koester, A. J., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Corbett, L. B., Goehring, B. M., Vickers, A., and Zimmerman, S. H. (2018) Cosmogenic nuclides record rapid rates of ice-thinning and variable glacial erosion at Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, USA. CANQUA-AMQUA meeting, Ottawa, Canada. p. 127. (download pdf)

Halsted, C. T., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T., Corbett, L. B., Koester, A. J., and Caffee, M. W. (2018) Evidence for rapid Laurentide thinning in northern New England, USA, during the Bølling/Allerød warm period from ¹⁰Be exposure age dipsticks. CANQUA-AMQUA meeting, Ottawa, Canada. p. 46. (download pdf)

Halsted, C., Shakun, J., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P.T., Corbett, L. B. and Caffee, M. (2018) Measuring ¹⁰Be ages from top to bottom in Franconia Notch, NH to constrain Laurentide Ice Sheet history. GSA Abstracts with Programs, NE section meeting, Burlington, VT. v. 50(2), Abstract 26-5. doi:10.1130/abs/2018NE-311291

Davis, P. T., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Koester, A. J., Corbett, L. B. and Halsted, C. T. (2018) Boise Rock, not the glacial erratic that we thought, but rather part of the landslide history of Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. GSA Abstracts with Programs, NE section meeting, Burlington, VT. v. 50(2), Abstract 26-6. doi:10.1130/abs/2018NE-310785

Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L. B. and Shakun, J. (2017) Implications for sea level change over thousands to millions of years – tracing Greenland ’s ice using cosmogenic nuclides. PALSEA final meeting, Cancun, Mexico. (download pdf)

Bierman, P. R., Shakun., J. and Corbett, L. (2017) Deciphering the history and processes of Greenland’s Ice Sheet(s) over thousands to millions of years using cosmogenic nuclides. NSF Greenland Ice Sheet stability workshop, Buffalo NY. p. 46. (download pdf)

Bierman, P., Corbett, L., Shakun, J. and Schmidt, A. H. (2017) Counting atoms to place human impacts in a geologic context. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. v. 49(6), Abstract 92-1. doi:10.1130/abs/2017AM-306223

Corbett, L. B., Bierman, P. R., Neumann, T. A., Graly, J. G., Shakun, J. D., Marc, W., Caffee, M. W. and Dunai, T. (2017) Analysis of three cosmogenic isotopes in subglacial cobbles helps unravel Greenland’s exposure and erosion history. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. v. 49(6), Abstract 51-3. doi:10.1130/abs/2017AM-302307

Shakun, J., Corbett, L., Bierman, P. and Zimmerman, S. (2017) Pliocene Greenland ice sheet growth recorded by in situ ¹⁰Be decrease in multiple marine sediment. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. v. 49(6), Abstract 51-1. doi:10.1130/abs/2017AM-305299

Koester, A., Shakun, J., Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L., Davis, P. T., Goerhing, B., Vickers A. and Zimmerman, S. (2017) Rapid thinning of the Laurentide ice sheet at Mt. Washington, NH during the Bolling warming, constrained by analysis of cosmogenic ¹⁴C and ¹⁰Be. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. v. 49(6), Abstract 51-6. doi:10.1130/abs/2017AM-306822

Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B. and Bierman, P. R. (2016) Eight million years of land-based Antarctic ice sheet stability recorded by in situ ¹⁰Be from the Andrill-1b core. GSA Abstracts with Programs, NE section meeting, ALbany, NY. v. 48(2), Abstract 15-10. doi:10.1130/abs/2016NE-272035

Koester, A. J., Shakun, J. D., Bierman, P. R., Davis, P. T. and Corbett, L. B. (2016) Rapid thinning of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in coastal Maine, USA during late Heinrich Stadial 1. EOS, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract PP11E-06. (download pdf)

Shakun, J. D., Corbett, L. B. and Bierman, P. R. (2015) Eight million years of land-based Antarctic Ice Sheet stability recorded by in situ ¹⁰Be from the ANDRILL-1B core. EOS, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract PP11E-03. (download pdf)

Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L. B., Shakun, J. and Rood, D. (2014) Cosmogenic Isotopic Tracing of Sediment Generated By the Greenland Ice Sheet. EOS, AGU Fall meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract EP33C-3652. (download pdf)

Bierman, P. R. and Shakun, J. (2013) In situ produced ¹⁰Be in marine sediment records 7 million years of Greenland ice sheet erosion in response to changing climate. GSA Abstracts with Programs, Annual meeting, Boulder, CO. v. 45(7), p. 260, Abstract 101-6. (download pdf)

Bierman, P. R., Corbett, L. B., Graly, J., Neumann, T., Rood, D., Shakun, J., and Nelson, A. (2013) The Greenland Ice Sheet erodes its bed some places but not in others. International Association of Geomorphologists Meeting, Paris. (download pdf)

Bierman, P. R., Rood, D., Corbett, L. B., Nelson, A. and Shakun, J. (2013) Using ¹⁰Be in sediment to understand the long-term behavior of the Greenland Ice Sheet. European Geosciences Union. Abstract EGU2013-8159. (download pdf)

Nelson, A., Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J. and Rood, D. (2013) ¹⁰Be concentration in Greenland sediment indicates source and exposure history. GSA Abstracts with Programs, NE section meeting, Bretton Woods, NH. v. 45(1), p. 85, Abstract 33-5. (download pdf)

Shakun, J. and Bierman, P. R. (2013) A 7 Myr record of Greenland glaciation and erosion from in situ ¹⁰Be in marine sediments. EOS, AGU Fall meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract C31C-08. (download pdf)

Nelson, A., Bierman, P. R., Shakun, J., Rood, D. (2012) ¹⁰Be concentration in sediments indicates exposure, erosion, and transportation along the Greenland Ice Sheet margin. EOS, AGU Fall meeting, San Francisco, CA. Abstract EP53C-1035. (download pdf)

Other Publications

Davis, P.T., Halsted, C.T., Rogers, J.N., Arcone, S.A., Shakun, J.D., Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L.B., and Koester, A.J. 2019. Glacial, deglacial, and postglacial history of Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, from constructing a cosmogenic nuclide dipstick to determining a landscape history from lake sediment cores and ground penetrating radar images. New England Intercollegiate Geology Conference, Lake George, NY, p. 235-286.

Bierman, P.R., Corbett, L., Wright, S., Davis,PT, Halstead, C., and Shakun, J. (2018). New views on the deglaciation of Mt Mansfield, NEIGC Fall 2018 Guidebook. Trip A4.

Halstead,C., Shakun, J., Bierman, P.R., Davis,PT, Koester, A. S., and Corbett, L.(2018). Mt. Greylock as a Cosmogenic Nuclide Dipstick to Determine the Timing and Rate of Southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet Thinning, NEIGC Fall 2018 Guidebook. Trip C4.

Davis, P. T., Koester, A. J., Shakun, J., Bierman, P. R. and Corbett, L. B. (2017) Testing the cosmogenic nuclide dipstick model for deglaciation of Mount Washington. NEIGC Fall 2017 guidebook. p. 247-272. doi:10.26780/2017.001.0014