CV

Download my CV (PDF)

Education

• Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge MA (2021–Present)
  Working with Eli Tziperman on climate dynamics and ice–atmosphere–ocean interactions.
• Advanced Climate Dynamics Courses, Abisko, Sweden (Summer 2025)
  Summer school focused on memory in the climate system.
• The Abdus Salam ICTP, Trieste, Italy (Summer 2022)
  Theory, mechanisms, and hierarchical modeling of climate dynamics: tropical oceans, ENSO, and teleconnections.
• B.A. in Physics & Mathematics, Bates College, Lewiston ME (2017–2021)
• Nashville School of the Arts, Nashville TN (2014–2017)
• Clayton High School, Saint Louis, MO (2013–2014)

Research Experience

• Advisor for Undergraduate Research Project, Harvard University (Spring 2025–Present)
  Supervising an undergraduate applying machine learning to classify westerly wind bursts in CESM2.
• Mathematics Department, Bates College (Fall 2019–Spring 2022)
  Honors thesis on fluid stirring on a sphere using braid groups and topological entropy.
• Physics Department, Bates College (Fall 2019–Spring 2022)
  Honors thesis on minimal requirements for topologically protected waves.
• Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (Summer 2020)
  Research assistant studying knotted stellarator fields using hypersphere coordinates.
• Environmental Studies Department, Bates College (Summer 2019)
  Research assistant analyzing economic impacts of agricultural zoning changes in Auburn, ME.

Publications

• Koepnick, K., Fu, M., and Tziperman, E.
  Comparing the surface mass balance of the Laurentide ice sheet during the last deglaciation with geophysical reconstructions, in revision.
• Koepnick, K. and Tziperman, E.
  Distinguishing between insolation-driven and phase-locked 100-kyr ice age scenarios using example models,
  Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 39, e2023PA004739, 2024.

In Preparation

• Koepnick, K., Zhu, J., Fu, M., and Tziperman, E.
  What are the climate factors that determined when the Laurentide Ice Sheet grew or retreated?
• Koepnick, K., Harnik, N., Randall, M., and Tziperman, E.
  ENSO–QBO correlations: a robust dynamical coupling or coincidence due to the short record?
• Koepnick, K., Zhu, J., Fu, M., and Tziperman, E.
  How sensitive is surface mass balance to perturbations in albedo?

Teaching Experience & Service

• ClimaTea Co-organizer, Harvard University (2023–2024)
  Coordinated speaker lineup, logistics, and event moderation.
• Department Trip Co-organizer, Harvard University (2024)
  Organized graduate student field trip to Nova Scotia.
• Teaching Fellow, Harvard University
  • Introduction to Physical Oceanography (Spring 2026)
  • Linear Algebra & Big Data (Spring 2025)
  • Paleoclimate as a Proxy (Spring 2024)
  • Global Warming (Spring 2023)
• Teaching Assistant / Grader / Tutor, Bates College
  • Introduction to Abstraction (Fall 2020)
  • Linear Algebra (Spring 2019–2022)
  • Multivariable Calculus (Fall 2019–2022)
  • Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (Fall 2020)
  • Abstract Algebra (Spring 2020)
  • General mathematics and statistics tutoring (Fall 2018–2022)

Technical Skills

Programming: Python, MATLAB, Mathematica
Modeling: CESM2 (boundary condition modifications), climate data analysis (CMIP6, iTRACE), numerical diffusion models
Typesetting: LaTeX
Languages: English (native), German (intermediate), French (basic)

Awards & Fellowships

• Herbert S. Winokur SEAS Graduate Fellowship, Harvard University (2021–2022)
• Department of Energy SULI Internship, Princeton University (Summer 2020)
• Rawling’s Grant, Bates College (Summer 2020)
• Dean’s List, Bates College (multiple terms 2018–2021)

Employment

• Yoga Instructor, Down Under School of Yoga (2024–Present)
• AESOP Leader, Bates College (2018–2021)
• Dance Stage Manager, Bates College (2018–2019)
• Technical Intern, Bates Dance Festival (2018)
• Scenic Designer and Carpenter, Bates College (2017–2020)

References

Available upon request.