Phone: 979.458.4486
Fax: 979.845.6162
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Texas A&M University
Halbouty Room 206
Department of Geology and Geophysics,
MS 3115,
College Station, Texas 77843

Advisor:

Dr. Ethan Grossman

Mr. Kai Tao

Ph.D Student

Texas A&M University

University of Science & Tech. of China, 2004

Research Interests

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction
Plaeoclimate change
Stable isotopic and trace elemental analyses
Scientific modeling of Earth dynamic change

Research Experiences

2009.6: Short-term fellowship in the study or Panama Canal expansion project at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. I participated in the field studies including fossil collection and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.
2005-present: Research Assistant, Stable Isotope Lab, Geology & Geophysics, TAMU. Current responsibilities include operation of Thermo-Finnigan isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Delta Plus XP) with multiple peripheral devices for light element stable isotopes.
2007-2008: Teaching Assistant (Principles of Geology), Geology & Geophysics, TAMU
2006.6: Internship for CHRONOS project at Iowa State University, Ames, IA. CHRONOS is a Geoinformatics project designed to create a dynamic framework for Earth history research.
2003-2004: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Earth Sciences, University of Science & Technology of China. Scientific modeling of diffusion and relaxing on isotopic equilibrium of minerals.

Awards

2009-2010 Mollie B. and Richard A. Williford Scholarship (shared)
2009.7 Fellowship in Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
2008-2009 Mollie B. and Richard A. Williford Scholarship (shared)
2008.4 Outstanding Ph.D. proposal in 2^nd G&G Research Symposium
2006-2007 Anadarko scholarship
2004-2005 Mollie B. and Richard A. Williford Scholarship

Publications

Tao, K., and Grossman, E.L., in prep. Origin of high productivity in the Pliocene of the Florida Platform: Evidence from stable isotopes and trace elements.
Tao, K., and Grossman, E.L.,2009. Late Neogene marine temperatures reconstruction of the Florida Platform from molluscan stable isotopic and Sr/Ca records. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
Tao, K., and Grossman, E.L., 2008. Pliocene marine temperatures and nutrient sources on the Florida Platform: Evidence from molluskan stable isotopes and trace element signatures. Geol. Soc. America Abstracts with Programs 40.
Tao, K., and Grossman, E.L., 2007. Mid-Pliocene environments in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast: A study of stable isotopes and growth increments in the gastropod Conus adversarius [abs.]. 1st International Sclerochronology Conference, St. Petersburg, FL. p. 100.
Zhao, C., Wang, Z., Tao, K., et al., 2004. The reconstruction of the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment of a stalagmite from Longuan Cave, Guizhou between 1600~250a. Chinese Journal of Nature, v. 26, p. 209-214.