Melisa Diaz

INSTAAR Affiliate • Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University •
• Geochemistry & biogeochemistry of the cryosphere & urban environment

melisa.diaz@colorado.edu

Polar and Environmental Geochemistry Lab (Polar ENV)

Bio

My research interests are centered around the applications of geochemical techniques towards understanding physical systems and how biology and society interact with them.

My primary research focus is the cryosphere, mainly the Antarctic (Transantarctic Mountains and McMurdo Dry Valleys) and the Arctic (Greenland), where I study the transport, cycling, and alteration of salts, nutrients, and atmospherically derived constituents. The goal is to understand the current and legacy effects of local and global change on resource-limited systems. I also study the intersection of urban geochemistry with environmental justice, social equity, and knowledge co-production. Much of my research involves both fieldwork and analytical lab work, though it also includes some statistical and geochemical modeling.

Education

PhD (Earth Science): The Ohio State University, 2020

Research

See the Polar and Environmental Geochemistry Lab (Polar ENV) website to learn more about this interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary team using geochemical tools to understand landscape development, salt and nutrient cycling, and habitability in both polar and urban systems.

Publications

For more publications, see Diaz's profile in Google Scholar

Change at 85 degrees south: Shackleton Glacier region proglacial lakes from 1960 to 2020

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Gardner CB; Elliot DH; Adams BJ; Lyons WB

Published in: Annals of Glaciology
Publication Date: 2023-05-05
Type: Journal Article

Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Gardner CB; Diaz MA; Smith DF; Fountain AG; Levy JS; Lyons WB

Published in: Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
Publication Date: 2022-12-31
Type: Journal Article

An Iterative Course-Based Soil Lead Research and Partnering Model to Address Systemic Racism and the Enduring Legacy of Redlining

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Fortner SK; Suffoletta MK; Vogt LK; Brown A; Diaz M

Published in: Environmental Justice
Publication Date: 2022-12-01
Type: Journal Article

A GeoHealth Call to Action: Moving Beyond Identifying Environmental Injustices to Co-Creating Solutions COMMENT

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors:

Hoffman-Hall A; Gorris ME; Anenberg S; Bredder AE; Dhaliwal JK; Diaz MA; Fortner SK; McAdoo BG; Reano D; Rehr RC...

Hoffman-Hall A
Gorris ME
Anenberg S
Bredder AE
Dhaliwal JK
Diaz MA
Fortner SK
McAdoo BG
Reano D
Rehr RC

Published in: GeoHealth
Publication Date: 2022-11-01
Type: Journal Article

Elevational Constraints on the Composition and Genomic Attributes of Microbial Communities in Antarctic Soils

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; Henley, Jessica B; Fierer, Noah

All Authors: Dragone NB; Henley JB; Holland-Moritz H; Diaz M; Hogg ID; Lyons WB; Wall DH; Adams BJ; Fierer N

Published in: mSystems
Publication Date: 2022-02-22
Type: Journal Article

Response of Antarctic soil fauna to climate-driven changes since the Last Glacial Maximum

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; Fierer, Noah

All Authors: Franco ALC; Adams BJ; Diaz MA; Lemoine NP; Dragone NB; Fierer N; Lyons WB; Hogg I; Wall DH

Published in: Global Change Biology
Publication Date: 2022-01-01
Type: Journal Article

Relationship between meteoric Be-10 and NO3- concentrations in soils along Shackleton Glacier, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: Fierer, Noah; Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Corbett LB; Bierman PR; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Published in: Earth Surface Dynamics
Publication Date: 2021-10-14
Type: Journal Article

The geochemistry of Irish rivers

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors:

Lyons WB; Carey AE; Gardner CB; Welch SA; Smith DF; Szynkiewicz A; Diaz MA; Croot P; Henry T; Flynn R...

Lyons WB
Carey AE
Gardner CB
Welch SA
Smith DF
Szynkiewicz A
Diaz MA
Croot P
Henry T
Flynn R

Published in: Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Publication Date: 2021-09-16
Type: Journal Article

Exploring the Boundaries of Microbial Habitability in Soil

CU Boulder Authors: Fierer, Noah; Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Dragone NB; Diaz MA; Hogg I; Lyons WB; Jackson WA; Wall DH; Adams BJ; Fierer N

Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Type: Journal Article

Geochemical zones and environmental gradients for soils from the central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; Fierer, Noah

All Authors: Diaz MA; Gardner CB; Welch SA; Jackson WA; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Published in: Biogeosciences
Publication Date: 2021-03-09
Type: Journal Article

Response to reviewers

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz M

Publication Date: 2020-12-05
Type: Journal Article

Response to reviewers

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz M

Publication Date: 2020-10-01
Type: Journal Article

Geochemistry of aeolian material from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: Insights into Southern Hemisphere dust sources

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Diaz MA; Welch SA; Sheets JM; Welch KA; Khan A; Adams B; McKnight D; Cary SC; Lyons WB

Published in: Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Publication Date: 2020-10-01
Type: Journal Article

Geochemical zones and environmental gradients for soils from the Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Gardner CB; Welch SA; Jackson WA; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Publication Date: 2020-09-17
Type: Journal Article

Supplementary material to "Geochemical zones and environmental gradients for soils from the Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica"

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Gardner CB; Welch SA; Jackson WA; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Publication Date: 2020-09-17
Type: Journal Article

Stable Isotopes of Nitrate, Sulfate, and Carbonate in Soils From the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica: A Record of Atmospheric Deposition and Chemical Weathering

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; Li, Jianghanyang; Fierer, Noah

All Authors: Diaz MA; Li J; Michalski G; Darrah TH; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Welch SA; Gardner CB

Published in: Frontiers in Earth Science
Publication Date: 2020-08-27
Type: Journal Article

Relative terrestrial exposure ages inferred from meteoric 10Be and NO3− concentrations in soils along the Shackleton Glacier, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Corbett LB; Bierman PR; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Publication Date: 2020-07-08
Type: Journal Article

Supplementary material to "Relative terrestrial exposure ages inferred from meteoric 10Be and NO3− concentrations in soils along the Shackleton Glacier, Antarctica"

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Diaz MA; Corbett LB; Bierman PR; Adams BJ; Wall DH; Hogg ID; Fierer N; Lyons WB

Publication Date: 2020-07-08
Type: Journal Article

THE ISOTOPIC GEOCHEMISTRY OF CaCO3 ENCRUSTATIONS IN TAYLOR VALLEY, ANTARCTICA: IMPLICATIONS FOR THEIR ORIGIN

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa

All Authors: Lyons B; Foley K; Carey A; Diaz M; Bowen G; Cerling T

Published in: Acta Geographica Slovenica
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Type: Journal Article

Aeolian Material Transport and Its Role in Landscape Connectivity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: Diaz, Melisa; Welch, Kathleen Ann; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Diaz MA; Adams BJ; Welch KA; Welch SA; Opiyo SO; Khan AL; McKnight DM; Cary SC; Lyons WB

Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Publication Date: 2018-12-01
Type: Journal Article

Teaching

Courses

GEOG 4271/5271: The Arctic Climate System
GEOG 2001: Topics in Physical Geography: Deserts Hot and Cold, Near and Far
GEOG 1011: Environmental Systems: Landscapes and Water

Current students

Denise Mondragon

MA Student •
• Geochemistry and biogeochemistry of the cryosphere • Snow and ice

Geography

Advisor: Melisa Diaz

denise.mondragon@colorado.edu

Outreach

---

Search

Breadcrumb

Melisa Diaz

Bio

Education

Research

Publications

Pages

Teaching

Courses

Current students

Outreach