Medill Reports: Glaciers are like global thermometers
UC geology professor Thomas Lowell explains his glacier research to a national climate conference
The world's glaciers grow and retreat in a synchronous way, according to University of CIncinnati geology professor Thomas Lowell, who spoke at a recent climate conference.
UC geology students explore a glacier in Alaska in 2002. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative Services
Lowell, a professor in UC's McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, addressed the Comer Climate Conference in Wisconsin about his work studying glaciers around the world.
He told Medill Reports Chicago the global retreat of the world's glaciers from climate change will lead to observable sea level rise.
"I'm interested in past climate changes and their interactions with glaciers," Lowell said.
"Glaciers are fun things to play on and fun things to visit. But they're also a sensitive indicator of climate," he said. "Glaciers are very sensitive to change so they're the canary in the coalmine."
Lowell has taken his students on field trips to places like Alaska and Iceland to study glaciers.
"I did an exercise in Iceland where we looked at glaciers and then students were told to look for where the glacier was the year they were born," he said. "Then I'd have them walk to see how the glacier changed in their lifetime."
Featured image at top: Harbor seals rest on ice floes calved off the nearby Aialik Glacier in Alaska. Photo/Michael Miller
Become a Bearcat
Apply online or get more information about undergraduate enrollment by calling 513-556-1100. Learn more about UC's many undergraduate and graduate programs.
UC Magazine
Read about a UC Geology student trip to Alaska to study glaciers in UC Magazine.
UC geology professor Thomas Lowell stands in front of Exit Glacier in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula in this 2002 file photo. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative Services
Related Stories
Love it or raze it?
February 20, 2026
An architectural magazine covered the demolition of UC's Crosley Tower.
Discovery Amplified expands research, teaching support across A&S
February 19, 2026
The College of Arts & Sciences is investing in a bold new vision for research, teaching and creative activity through Discovery Amplified. This initiative was launched through the Dean’s Office in August 2024, and is expanding its role as a central hub for scholarly activity and research support within the Arts & Sciences (A&S) community. Designed to serve faculty, students, and staff, the initiative aims to strengthen research productivity, foster collaboration, and enhance teaching innovation. Discovery Amplified was created to help scholars define and pursue academic goals while increasing the reach and impact of A&S research and training programs locally and globally. The unit provides tailored guidance, connects collaborators, and supports strategic partnerships that promote innovation across disciplines.
Niehoff Center for Film & Media Studies kicks off 2026 series
February 16, 2026
The Niehoff Center for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati invites the campus and community to delve into the thought-provoking “2026 UC European Film Series: Perspectives on Our World.” Five recent films will be screened, with introductions and discussions led by UC faculty. Using a variety of genres and forms, these films encourage audiences to think about their place on the planet, in relation to civic engagement, to the natural world, to others, and even to space aliens in Moravia. “The series is a mix of realism, reality, comedy, and escapism that we hope will make you see things differently,” said Michael Gott, Neihoff Center director of programming and College of Arts and Sciences professor. “Film can make us rethink our ideas about the world and see things from different perspectives.” Past topics have ranged from artificial intelligence to migration, urban spaces, and women in film. Following each screening, discussions with filmmakers and UC faculty aim to spark meaningful conversations.