Andrew C. Kurtz

Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Director of Graduate Admissions

Office: Stone 141K
Phone: 617.358.2570
E-mail: kurtz@bu.edu

Educational Background

Ph.D. 2000 Cornell University
M.S. 1996 Cornell University
B.S. 1993 Ohio University

Research

Andy Kurtz’s research involves applying trace element and isotope geochemistry to Earth surface processes, Earth history, and biogeochemical cycles. A particular interest is understanding links between terrestrial and marine processes. Among the most important of these links is silicate weathering, because of its role in releasing nutrients from bedrock, its influence on the composition and magnitude of riverine dissolved and particulate loads, and for its importance in the global cycles of C, Si, P, and many other elements.

Climate and Earth History research group
Coastal and Marine Science research group
Geochemistry research group
Surface Processes research group

Teaching

  • Environmental Earth Sciences (ES 105)
  • Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanography (ES 351)
  • Geochemical Modeling (ES 571)
  • Analytical Methods in Geochemistry (ES 573)
  • Aquatic Geochemistry (ES 576)

Recent Students

  • Ken Takagi; PhD (current);
  • Festo Lugolobi; PhD (current); Silica Sources and Water Flowpaths in a Tropical Watershed: A Combined Ge/Si, Oxygen Isotope, and Hydrometric Study
  • Eric Moore; PhD (current); A Source-to-Sink Study of Chemical Weathering in the Fly River System
  • Allison M. Scribner; MA (2004); Influence of Pedogenic Iron-Oxyhydroxides on the Ge/Si Weathering Tracer
  • Tommy S. Moore; MA (2003); Anaerobic Methane Oxidation and the Formation of Dolomite (Co-advised with Rick Murray)

Recent Undergraduate Theses

  • Jessica Fitzsimmons; BA; 2008; Calcium Isotope Fractionation by Biogeochemical Processes
  • Scott Stachelhaus; BA; 2006; Ge/Si Fractionation during Diagenetic Formation of Chert
  • Aaron Burnett; BA; 2003; Historical Trends in Lead Pollution at Wells G and H Superfund Site, Woburn, MA, Revealed by LA-ICP-MS Analysis of Lead Isotopes Recorded in Tree Rings

Selected Publications (*=student)

  • *A. Burnett, A.C. Kurtz, D. Brabander, M. Shailer (2007), Dendrochemical record of historical Pb contamination sources, Wells G&H Superfund site, Woburn, Massachusetts, Journal of Environmental Quality, 36, p.1488-1494.
  • *Scribner, A.M., A.C. Kurtz, O.A. Chadwick (2006), Germanium sequestration by soil: targeting the roles of secondary clays and Fe-oxyhydroxides, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 243, p. 760-770.
  • Derry, L.A., A.C. Kurtz, K. Ziegler, O.A. Chadwick (2005), Biological control of terrestrial silica cycling and export fluxes to watersheds, Nature, 433, p. 728-731, doi:10.1038/nature03299.
  • Kurtz, A.C., L.R. Kump, M.A. Arthur, J.C. Zachos, and A. Paytan. (2004), Early Cenozoic decoupling of the global carbon and sulfur cycles, Paleoceanography, 18, doi:10.1029/2003PA000908.