The Kemp Lab, located in the newly renovated Bacon Hall, focuses on coastal stratigraphy and the reconstruction of sea levels over the last 2,000 years. A core facet of the lab’s work is its interdisciplinary approach, which combines oceanography, seismology, statistics, geochemistry and climate science. The lab — led by Andrew Kemp, an associate professor of earth and climate sciences — is one of the leading university research labs studying sea level rise, with some of the most highly cited work in this field. Professor Kemp’s lab relies heavily on geological data to create these reconstructions. Specifically, sediment cores from coastal wetlands and salt marshes provide a significant portion of the data the lab uses. The lab also focuses on the Gulf Stream and on documenting the prehistory of large earthquakes, which can cause the land to shift vertically. Additionally, researchers study isostasy models, which describe the geological equilibrium between Earth’s crust and mantle.
The work this lab does is particularly relevant now, as we see unprecedented sea level rise worldwide, affecting millions of people living near coastlines and potentially leading to mass migration. The lab’s research also has several policy implications, helping inform best practices for coastal management. One example is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s examination of how current rates of sea level rise compare with past levels. While the lab has several papers that focus specifically on the North American Atlantic Coast, these findings can also be used to analyze global trends. The IPCC has consulted the lab’s relative sea level reconstructions to place projected sea level changes in historical and geological contexts. On a global scale, Kemp has also published papers such as “Implications of anomalous relative sea-level rise for the peopling of Remote Oceania,” which examines migration to remote oceanic islands such as Pohnpei and Kosrae. This research provides much-needed empirical data for Pacific island nations facing high risks of climate migration, economic loss and cultural erosion due to rising sea levels.
One fascinating strategy that the Kemp Lab has used — specifically when analyzing relative sea-level change — is bulk organic geochemical measures. This involves measuring levels of carbon-13 in the atmosphere, an isotope of carbon, to identify sources of organic matter. In a 2024 Quaternary Science Reviews publication, Kemp and collaborators Wilson, Lloyd and Khan used this method to distinguish between organic matter sources in coastal environments and identify changes in their contributions. Bulk organic geochemical measures can be used to analyze environments such as tidal marshes, isolation basins and mangroves.
Mangroves, which are frequently discussed in climate science, are another focus of the lab’s research. The Kemp Lab has also published work on taraxerol abundance as a proxy for in situ mangrove sediment. Taraxerol abundance can serve as an indicator of mangrove-derived sediments formed directly in their natural environment. Mangrove sediments can also provide insight into relative sea level change, allowing researchers to make predictions about future sea levels by analyzing past sea levels. Mangroves are particularly relevant in discussions of nature-based solutions to sea level rise because they act as buffers between the ocean and the coast, lessening the effects of erosion, storm surges and tsunamis. On top of that, they function as high-value carbon sinks and are both cost-effective and stable with strong root systems.
In summary, the Kemp Lab primarily focuses on paleocean dynamics and their role in sea level change. Paleocean dynamics refers to how oceans evolve over time, which can be analyzed using chemical and biological markers preserved in marine sediments. The lab has also explored sea level rise in Boston Harbor, an area frequently visited by students from Tufts’ Department of Earth and Climate Sciences for research and education. This work was also part of Elaine Whestine’s (LA’24) thesis, which ultimately became a peer-reviewed publication in Quaternary Science Reviews and is currently available through the National Science Foundation’s website. The study found that sea level rise in Boston during the 20th century was significantly higher than in the preceding 40 centuries.
For students interested in pursuing a career in climate science, a new major at Tufts and a rare one among colleges across the country, Kemp recommends visiting the website to review the ECS course offerings. More information about the lab’s research and publications is available on its website.
