WELCOMEHi, I'm Scott Braddock. I hold a PhD from the University of Maine in Earth and Climate Sciences and the Climate Change Institute. My research focuses on how climate change impacts polar and alpine environments, particularly the risks of natural hazards like landslides and flooding. I also study past glacier and ice sheet changes using geophysical tools and paleoclimate proxies.
I work with the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and the Polar Geophysics team at the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute. POLAR EXPLORATIONS brings together my passions for research, outreach, and teaching. My goal is to foster collaborations in Polar STEM fields by connecting students and professionals. If you're interested in getting students and teachers involved in Polar fieldwork, reach out! We host activities in Alaska and New England. In recent years, I've focused on science outreach, creating field-based and virtual experiences in Polar environments for high school and undergraduate students from marginalized backgrounds in Polar STEM. I currently teach field-based courses in Alaska and Maine for Upward Bound students.
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News & Updates
March, 2025: Our research proposal to study snow properties in Alaska and New England was recently funded by the Department of Defense. This research will test the hypothesis that there is a link between wet, subarctic snowpacks and land instability. Our research started this winter in Maine and includes snowmobile surveys with a multioffset radar system to measure snow water equivalent in Maine's snowpack. In addition, we flew drone LiDAR surveys to estimate snow thickness.
May, 2024: This term at College of the Atlantic, I am teaching a field-based course on Glaciers and the Landscape. We have the opportunity to explore Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park for evidence of past glaciations and sea level change!
April, 2024: The second chapter of my thesis was just published in Annals of Glaciology! An amazing team of coauthors compiled our knowledge and experiences from nearly a decade of shallow bedrock core drilling in Antarctica to summarize the lessons learned to help future teams increase their chances of recovering a core. Check out the paper here.
May, 2024: I completed my PhD at UMaine in May, 2024! After 5 exciting years, I defended my PhD in April and finished up my program. I will continue to teach courses at the University of Maine in the summer of 2024 and at College of the Atlantic in 2024/25. In addition, I will be continuing my research at Umaine with the Polar Geophysics research team as a Research Assistant Professor in the Climate Change Institute.
Check out The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth, a new book by author, Elizabeth Rush. The book highlights a journey to Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica when Elizabeth joined our group of scientists aboard the U.S. icebreaker, the Nathaniel B. Palmer for a 2-month science expedition in 2019. Overview here
Stephanie Ewens/Broadside PR. Photo from NPR story
Summer 2023 was a huge Success. Students from Maine, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Texas joined us in week-long Polar STEM programs in Juneau, AK. Check out more information in our trip report (coming soon).
Students learning about Earth systems on the outwash plain of Herbert Glacier (peaking out in upper right). PC: Erin Towns
February, 2023 - Back from the field! Although some of the science objectives weren't completed this trip, we learned many valuable lessons on trouble shooting the drill and using radar techniques. Amazing team despite some challenging conditions. Photo below is scientist Dr. Keir Nichols inspecting a section of ice core for 'dirty' ice.
Email: [email protected]
Location: Bryand Global Science Center: 300E
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Location: Bryand Global Science Center: 300E
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469