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PhD Student

Xueyao Cheng

Pronouns
She/Her/Hers

I am interested in using the tools of geochemistry to study the Earth’s past climate, and its interactions with tectonics, landforms and ecosystems. I strive to understand how isotopes fractionate in natural processes, such as precipitation, evapotranspiration and ice formation, and how the isotope record helps us reconstruct paleoclimate and paleoenvironment. Currently I work on the triple oxygen isotope system. In my attempt to embrace the interdisciplinarity of Earth Sciences, I am also trying to deepen my understanding about complex general circulation models, and I aim to introduce quantitative modelling to my study of paleoclimate.

I received my undergraduate and master’s degrees in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and my master’s thesis was about reconstructing Southern Ocean circulation in glacial-interglacial cycles with Nd isotopes in marine detrital sediments. 

My hobbies include hiking the local trails, looking for cottontail rabbits and admiring the stunning landscapes of mountains and streams, exploring tributaries in the area and questioning why small puddles are called ‘lakes’ in California, attempting to identify and sketch as many species of plants I encounter as possible, clicking on ‘One More Turn’ in Civilization VI at 3am in the morning, practicing the guitar and lamenting my inability to play a barre chord, and refreshing my rusty memory on the piano about a piece I played 10 years ago. I love bunnies and am always willing to talk about them (and geology as well, and even better if it is about bunnies AND geology).

My bunny wondering how Climate Change affects the distribution and growth of Timothy Hay

Education

MSci and BA, Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge, 2019

Research

Paleoclimate, Geochemistry

Stanford Affiliations

Contact

Mail Code
2115