Dr. Adam Skarke is a geologist with broad research interests in the fields of marine geology and geophysics. The goal of his research is to better understand fundamental physical relationships between sediment transport, morphological expression, stratigraphy, and subsurface fluid flow in seafloor environments that span the continental margin from coastal waters to the deep sea. He seeks insight into how these relationships evolve and are linked across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. His technical approach is field based and focused on the quantitative analysis of geological, geophysical, and oceanographic data collected with innovative environmental observing sensors and platforms.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Delaware, Department of Geological Sciences, 2013
• M.S., University of Delaware, Department of Geological Sciences, 2008
• B.A., Colgate University, Geology, 2003

Experience

• Associate Professor of Geology, Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State Univeristy, 2020 - present
• Assistant Professor of Geology, Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, 2014 – 2020.
• Physical Scientist, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2011-2013.

Research Interests

• Marine Geology, Geophysics, Seafloor Mapping, Coastal Morphodynamics, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Seafloor Gas Seeps, Submarine Groundwater

Teaching Areas

• GG 3603 Introduction to Oceanography
• GG 4233/6233 Applied Geophysics
• GG 4304/6304 Principles of Sedimentary Deposits I
• GG 4443/6443 Principles of Sedimentary Deposits II
• GG 4523/6523 Coastal Environments
• GG 8990 Marine Geology

Honors/Professional Activities

• Member American Geophysical Union
• Member Geological Society of America
• Southeast Section Treasurer: National Association of Geoscience Teachers
• Faculty Research Award: Mississippi State University College of Arts and Sciences
• Early Career Research Fellowship: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Gulf Research Program

Graduate Students

• Jeneil Patel
• Ramon Kalski
• Jonathan Leard (Co-advisor)

• Ruppel, C. D., Skarke, A. D., Miller, N. C., Kidiwela*, M. W., Kluesner, J., and Baldwin, W. (2024). Methane seeps on the U.S. Atlantic margin: An updated inventory and interpretative framework. Marine Geology 471, 107287. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2024.107287
• Osorio, R. J., Linhoss, A., Skarke, A., Brasher, M. G., and McFarland, M. (2023). Assessment of marsh terrace designs for wave attenuation utilizing a wave model. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 105, 101429. doi:10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2023.101429.
• Rodolfich, A., E. Sparks, B. Posadas, J. Rodgers, A. Skarke, R. Bradley, and C. Wessel (2023), The distribution and direct impacts of marine debris on the commercial shrimping industry, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 186, 114417, doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114417.
• Lee*, T. R., B. J. Phrampus, A. Skarke, and W. T. Wood (2022), Global Estimates of Biogenic Methane Production in Marine Sediments Using Machine Learning and Deterministic Modeling. Global Biogeochemical Cycles,1–18, doi:10.1029/2021GB007248.
• Osorio, R. J., A. Linhoss, A. Skarke, M. G. Brasher, and J. French* (2022), Modeling wave climates and wave energy attenuation in marsh terrace environments in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Ecological Engineering 176, 106529, doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106529.
• Mullins, L. L., J. M. Drymon, M. Moore, A. Skarke, A. Moore, and J. C. Rodgers (2021), Defining distribution and habitat use of west-central Florida’s coastal sharks through a research and education program, Ecology and Evolution., 11(22), 16055–16069, doi:10.1002/ece3.8277.
• Lee*, T. R., Phrampus, B. J., Obelcz, J., Wood, W. T., & Skarke, A. (2020). Global marine isochore estimates using machine learning. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL088726. doi: 10.1029/2020GL088726
• Gabitov, R., C. Borrelli, J. Buettner, B. Kirkland, A. Skarke, D. Trail, B. Garner, M. Testa, M. Wahidi, C. Hoff, S. Khasanov, G. Panieri, R. Thirumalai, J. Thomas, J. Weremeichik, and I. Zverkova (2019), Characterization of Carbonate Crust from a Recently Discovered Methane Seep on the North Atlantic Continental Margin of the USA, Minerals, 9(138), 1–15, doi:10.3390/min9030138.
• McVeigh, D., A. Skarke, A. E. Dekas, C. Borrelli, W.-L. Hong, J. Marlow, A. Pasulka, S. P. Jungbluth, R. A. Barco, and A. Djurhuus (2018), Characterization of Benthic Biogeochemistry and Ecology at Three Methane Seep Sites on the Northern U.S. Atlantic Margin, Deep Sea Res. Part II Top. Stud. Oceanogr., (150), 1–16, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2018.03.001.
• Fitzpatrick, P. J., Y. Lau, R. Moorhead, A. Skarke, D. Merritt, K. Kreider, J. Masters, R. Carlon, G. Hine, T. Lampoudi, and A. Leonardi (2016), Further analysis of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Wave Glider® field program. Marine Technology Society Journal, 50(3), 72-75. doi:10.4031/mtsj.50.3.
• DuVal, C., A. Trembanis, and A. Skarke (2016), Characterizing and hindcasting ripple bedform dynamics: Field test of non-equilibrium models utilizing a fingerprint algorithm. Continental Shelf Research, 116, 103-115. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2015.12.015.
• Quattrini, A.M., M.S Nizinski, J.D Chaytor, A.W.J. Demopoulos, E.B. Roark, S.C. France, J.A. Moore, T. Heyl, P.J. Auster, B. Kinlan, C. Ruppel, K.P. Elliott, B.R.C. Kennedy, E. Lobecker, A. Skarke, and T.M. Shank (2015), Exploration of the Canyon-Incised Continental Margin of the Northeastern United States Reveals Dynamic Habitats and Diverse Communities. PLoS ONE 10(10): e0139904. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0139904. 
• Fitzpatrick, P. J., Y. Lau, D. Merritt, R. Moorhead, A. Skarke, K. Kreider, C. Brown, R. Carlon, G. Hine, T. Lampoudi, and A. Leonardi (2015), A review of the 2014
• Gulf of Mexico Wave Glider® field program. Marine Technology Society Journal, 49, 64-71. doi: 10.4031/mtsj.49.3.14. 
• Skarke, A., C. Ruppel, M. Kodis*, D. Brothers, and E. Lobecker (2014), Widespread methane leakage from the sea floor on the northern US Atlantic margin, Nature Geoscience, 7(9), 657-661. doi:10.1038/ngeo2232.