HALL OF RECORDS
Highest & Lowest δ Values by Year
The most common methodology employed by members of the lab is the analysis of stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotopic compositions by EA-IRMS. Below are the records for the lowest (▼) and highest (▲) delta values recorded by year. The all-time records are indicated with three arrows: lowest (▼▼▼) and highest (▲▲▲).
2017 δ15N ▲
2017 δ15N ▼
2017 δ13C ▲
12069 - Swordfish
δ13C = −9.60 ‰
Paul Szpak
2017 δ13C ▼
459 - Llama/alpaca
δ13C = −22.23 ‰
Paul Szpak
2018 δ15N ▲
788 - Polar bear
δ15N = +25.01 ‰
Paul Szpak
2018 δ15N ▼
546 - Algarrobo
δ15N = +1.76 ‰
Paul Szpak
2018 δ13C ▲
559 - Maize cob
δ13C = −9.31 ‰
Paul Szpak
2018 δ13C ▼
560 - Guava seed
δ13C = −27.44 ‰
Paul Szpak
2019 δ15N ▲
2019 δ15N ▼
2019 δ13C ▲
2019 δ13C ▼
2020 δ15N ▲
2020 δ15N ▼
2020 δ13C ▲
2020 δ13C ▼
2021 δ15N ▲
2021 δ15N ▼
2021 δ13C ▲▲▲
2021 δ13C ▼
2022 δ15N ▲
2022 δ15N ▼
2022 δ13C ▲
2022 δ13C ▼▼▼
2023 δ15N ▲▲▲
2023 δ15N ▼▼▼
2023 δ13C ▲
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2023 δ13C ▼
2024 δ15N ▲
2024 δ15N ▼
2024 δ13C ▲
2024 δ13C ▼
2024 δ34S ▲▲▲
2024 δ34S ▼▼▼
2025 δ15N ▲
2025 δ15N ▼
2025 δ13C ▲
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2025 δ13C ▼
2025 δ34S ▲▲▲
2025 δ34S ▼▼▼
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
Voted on by lab members as the coolest sample analyzed in a calendar year.
2017 - 527
Vicacha fleece
A fleece sample made from the hair of the vizcacha. This sample comes from a site in the Pampa del Tamarugal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile that was occupied by hunter-gatherers ~11,500 years ago.
You can read more about this sample in this paper.
2018 - 604
Narluga
A sample of bone from the world's only confirmed beluga-narwhal hybrid (the 'narluga') from Disko Bay (West Greenland). This specimen is housed at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen.
You can read more about this sample in this paper.
2019 - 5295
Double-tusked narwhal
A sample of bone from a rare narwhal with two very large tusks. This specimen is housed at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen.
2020 - 9811
Iron Age dog from Siberia
A naturally mummified dog from the Lower Ob River region in Siberia produced bone, hair, and nails for isotopic analysis. The dog fed on freshwater fish supplied by people throughout the year. You can read more about this sample in this paper.
2021 - 14525
Blue wildebeest
A 42,000 year old tooth from a blue wildebeest. Stay tuned to find out why it was so cool!
2022 - 17885
Thule dog baculum
This Thule dog bacculum (penis bone) had an extremely high δ15N value. It was a part of Brooke Driscoll's MA thesis.
2023 - 21474
African giant buffalo
A 115,000 year old sample from Klasies River Mouth that yielded well-preserved collagen.
2024 - 26181
Bermuda petrel from Jamestown, Virginia
The Bermuda petrel bones from Jamestown (these also produced the highest δ34S value for 2024), which are not native to that region, and would have been brought back to the settlement during the 'Starving Time' of 1609-1610.
You can read more about this sample in this paper.
BEST NEW TAXON
Voted on by lab members as the coolest new species analyzed in a calendar year.
2021 - 15743
Chilean flamingo
Analyzed by BSc student Olivia Hall
2022 - 16284
Peruvian booby
Analyzed by MSc student Julia McCuaig
2023 - 21482
African giant buffalo
Analyzed by MSc student Olivia Hall
2024 - 27075
Common warthog
Analyzed by PhD candidate Moses Akogun
2025 - 33899
Golden eagle
Analyzed by MSc student Dawn Bari.
OTHER AWARDS
Eric Guiry Award
Awarded annually since 2021 for the lab member that preps and analyzes the highest number of samples.
Past Winners:
2025: Hazel McMillan (1,204 for EA-IRMS)
2024: Rachel Dickenson (519 for EA-IRMS)
2023: Alexis Rausch (519 for EA-IRMS; 358 for MC-ICP-MS)
2022: Nicole Hultquist (576 for EA-IRMS; 607 for MC-ICP-MS) and Brooke Driscoll (1,530 for EA-IRMS)
2021: Tess Wilson (654 for EA-IRMS)
Tess Wilson Award
Awarded annually since 2022 for the lab member that displays the greatest amount of perseverance in the face of instrumental adversity (in other words, the person that struggled hardest against the instruments).
Past Winners:
2025: Nuri Aydemir & Dawn Bari
2024: Jen Routledge
2023: Olivia Hall & Alexis Rausch
2022: Mariah Miller
Matt Teeter Award
Awarded annually since 2022 for the lab member that breaks the most things, the most expensive thing, or some combination of the two.
Past Winners:
2025: Matt Teeter
2024: Matt Teeter
2023: Julia McCuaig
2022: Mariah Miller
Corrie Hyland Award
Awarded to the lab member (or members) that most consistently display the most positive and supportive attitude.
Past Winners:
2025: Dorothy Buatsi & Enya Schroeder
2024: Dorothy Buatsi & Rachel Dickenson
2023: Rachel Dickenson & Julia McCuaig
2022: Matt Teeter
2021: Julia McCauig
Best CN Analytical Session (Nu Horizon)
Awarded for the analytical session that produced the best measurement uncertainty and the fewest autosampler errors. In many cases, several members contribute to a session.
Past Winners:
2025: Hazel McMillan
2024: 2024-25 Grad Class, Moses Akogun
2023: 2023-24 Grad Class
2022: Brooke Driscoll
2021: Jen Routledge & Kate Dougherty
Best CNS Analytical Session (Elementar Cube)
Awarded for the analytical session that produced the best measurement uncertainty and the fewest autosampler errors. In many cases, several members contribute to a session.
Past Winners:
2025: Janelle Pridoehl
2024: Alex Derian
Best CN Sample replicate (Nu Horizon)
Awarded for the sample replicate that produced the most similar delta values.
Past Winners:
2025: 2024-25 Grad Class
2024: 2024-25 Grad Class
2023: 2023-24 Grad Class
2022: Jen Routledge
Best CNS Sample replicate (Elementar Cube)
Awarded for the sample replicate that produced the most similar delta values.
Past Winners:
2025: Alex Derian
2024: Alex Derian
Early Worm Award
Awarded to the lab member that is consistently in the earliest, usually to start an instrument.
Past Winners:
2025: Enya Schroeder
2024: Alex Derian
2023: Olivia Hall
Night Owl Award
Awarded to the lab member that is consistently in late into the evening hours.
Past Winners:
2025: Em Diemer
2024: Ryan Pawlowski
2023: Alexis Rausch