earth science

Judith Ann McKenzie

Judith Ann McKenzie is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Judith Ann McKenzie rather than just read about it. In short: Judith Ann McKenzie (May 4, 1942 – August 11, 2023) was an American biogeochemist known for her research on past climate change, chemical cycles in sediments, and geobiology. Education and career McKenzie had an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Colorado, Boulder (1970), studied at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and earned her Ph.D. from the Institute of Geology at ETH Zurich (1976).

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Judith Ann McKenzie (May 4, 1942 – August 11, 2023) was an American biogeochemist known for her research on past climate change, chemical cycles in sediments, and geobiology.

Education and career McKenzie had an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Colorado, Boulder (1970), studied at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and earned her Ph.D. from the Institute of Geology at ETH Zurich (1976). McKenzie remained at ETH as a postdoc until moving to the University of Florida Gainesville in 1985 where she was promoted to tenured professor in 1987. She returned to ETH Zurich and was appointed full professor in 1996 and later retired at the end of September 2007. McKenzie served as president of the International Association of Sedimentologists (2002–2006) and the Geochemical Society (2002–2003). McKenzie has also worked within the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), specially within the Swiss contribution to the project and from 2006 to 2008 she presented lectures on the deep biosphere in the distinguished lecture series of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling. In a 2011 interview conducted by the European Association of Geochemistry, McKenzie reflected on her career arc from her Ph.D. research on the chemistry of dolomites in Abu Dhabi to the research of her final postdoc on the geobiology of the dolomites in the same area. During the interview she noted this shift from focusing solely on the geology of rocks to an additional consideration of the biology of the rocks is reflected in the shift of the community at large. McKenzie has enabled the ability of students to participate in field work through establishing summer schools within the International Association of Sedimentologists and by establishing the Judith McKenzie field work award for graduate students using funds from the Emile Argand Award she received in 2016. McKenzie received multiple awards (details below) and has shared insight on how to improve the diversity of award winners within geosciences.

Research McKenzie's research used the sedimentary record to define past climates and change over time. This research partially relies on quantifying stable isotopes of dolomite in Abu Dhabi sabkhas and evaporites in Sicily. She has also examined the impact of biological activity on the carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratio in sediments. Cindy Lee, McKenzie, and Michael Sturm used stable isotopes to examine fluxes in particulate matter in a Swiss lake. In the same lake David Hollander and McKenzie examined the fractionation of carbon isotopes as a potential measure of the past atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. McKenzie's work on the 'dolomite problem', an enigma whereby the past prevalence of dolomite is higher than what is found in modern environments, has recently revealed that dolomite is precipitated by bacteria living under anoxic conditions which was first observed in the laboratory with sulfate-reducing Desulfovibrio, and subsequently with microbes isolated from a coastal lagoon in Brazil and in the coastal sabkha of Abu Dhabi.

Later life and death McKenzie retired as a full Professor of Earth System Sciences at ETH Zurich in 2007. Judith Ann McKenzie died on August 11, 2023, at the age of 81.

Awards Fellow, American Geophysical Union (1999) Rachel Carson Award, American Geophysical Union (2003) Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal, European Geosciences Union (2006) Member, Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (2006) Gustav Steinmann Medal, German Geological Society-Geological Association (2008) Honorary Member, International Association of Sedimentologists (2015) Emile Argand Award, International Union of Geological Sciences (2016) William H. Twenhofel Medal, Society for Sedimentary Geology (2017)

References

External links April 11, 2011 Interview Judith McKenzie on YouTube

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Judith Ann McKenzie

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Judith Ann McKenzie claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Judith Ann McKenzie before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Judith Ann McKenzie ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Judith Ann McKenzie

In research: Judith Ann McKenzie appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Judith Ann McKenzie in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Judith Ann McKenzie is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1942 births, 2023 deaths, 21st-century American women scientists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Judith Ann McKenzie outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Judith Ann McKenzie in 20 minutes

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Close the page and write down what Judith Ann McKenzie means in your own words.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Judith Ann McKenzie in simple terms?

Judith Ann McKenzie (May 4, 1942 – August 11, 2023) was an American biogeochemist known for her research on past climate change, chemical cycles in sediments, and geobiology. Education and career McKenzie had an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Colorado, Boulder (1970), studied at Scripps I…

Why does Judith Ann McKenzie matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Judith Ann McKenzie?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Judith Ann McKenzie.