Ken Rubin is a geochemist, geologist and volcanologist who works on land and at sea. In the oceans he uses visual, chemical, and sonar observations of the sea floor, as well as laboratory-based studies of rock samples collected from the sea to study active and very recent geological processes. He focuses on eruption histories and impacts in volcanic terrains, and reconstructing sea level history from drowned coral reefs. Ken’s research group at the University of Hawaii Manoa applies geochemical tracers and naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in rocks and minerals to determine the timing and formation conditions of materials in these settings. The combination of field and lab based studies allows his group to develop detailed histories of these active geological terrains. In this drowned coral reef project, we hope to reconstruct detailed sea level chronologies since the last ice age and uncover the ecological impacts of rising seas on coral reef communities. Ken has worked at sites throughout the Pacific Ocean, as well as at on-land volcanoes in Hawaii, Iceland, Mexico, the Galapagos, and Indonesia. He has played major roles in the NSF RIDGE and RIDGE 2000 programs, which focused on mid-ocean ridge volcanism and is currently the chair of the NSF EarthCube (cyberinfrastructure for earth sciences) Science Committee. He is passionate about improving scientific data access and data workflows, which EarthCube is trying to do. Ken received an M.S in Oceanography and a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1985 and 1991, respectively. As a southern Californian who now lives in Hawaii, Ken is rarely far from the ocean. His research career has allowed him to satisfy his lifelong love of the oceans, fascination with volcanoes, and desire to learn about natural systems so we can best preserve and protect them.
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