ARCS Foundation Oregon scholar Katie Stelling has set a blistering pace for the last few months! Katie, a PhD candidate at Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), has traveled the world and the nation to pursue her science.  

In late October, Katie traveled to Boulder for two weeks to immerse herself in hands-on lab work with a top-notch team of scientists. This visit provided an exciting opportunity to refine her skills in identifying foraminifera species—tiny marine organisms that reveal clues about past ocean conditions around Greenland.  

In early December, Katie presented at the esteemed American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in Washington, D.C. Her poster showcased fascinating new findings from sediment core AR2307-89JC and was featured in the poster session of Impact! Ignite!, ARCS Oregon’s fundraising event. Preparing for the conference involved running the first-ever radiocarbon dates on sediments from the core, analyzed using cutting-edge equipment in Australia. The results were astounding—the core’s deepest layers date back an incredible 40,000 years.  

This discovery shows how oceans and ice sheets evolved during and before the Last Glacial Maximum. With much work ahead, including geochemical analyses and additional radiocarbon dating, Stelling is excited to continue watching this ancient story unfold. 

Katie’s current research establishes continuity with her shipboard work in Baffin Bay off the coast of Greenland during the summer of 2023. Katie has continued analyzing core samples collected from the edges of the receding Greenland Ice Sheet to identify markers of ocean warming and ice sheet behavior in the past. Her groundbreaking work earned her a prestigious National Science Foundation fellowship, providing additional support for her PhD research. 

While in Washington, Katie gave a talk at George Washington University with ARCS Oregon Scholar Alum Sarah Beethe. Sarah, also a CEOAS scholar and an alum of GWU, invited Katie to join her in speaking to undergraduates about their research journeys. Sharing experiences and connecting with students eager to carve their paths in science was both energizing and inspiring. It’s always thrilling to see curiosity and ambition sparked in the next generation of scientists. 

To round out this whirlwind season, Katie shared some exciting updates. Her photo of Antarctic ice officially graces the cover of the PNAS journal, a proud moment for any scientist. The short film documenting the Greenland research cruise is now available through an updated link, and the trailer for A Map of the World in Time—a feature-length documentary she helped produce—is also out. These milestones are joyful reminders of the incredible journey underway, with much anticipation for what the next chapter will bring.