Brief Bio

My research interests focus on combining observations and models of Earth’s ice sheets to understand the processes that drive their change and to improve projections of sea-level rise. I have a broad background and leadership experience in scientific research and engineering, including management of NASA satellite ground system software development, supervision of undergraduate and graduate student researchers, and participation in community-wide efforts. Notably, I was a member of the Greenland Ocean Forcing Working Group for the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6), a data contributor to the Ice-sheet Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (IMBIE), a member of the NASA Sea-Level Change Team (N-SLCT), and a member of the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) Science Team.

Education

Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2018)

Dissertation: Inland thinning propagation along Greenland outlet glaciers (link)

M.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2013)

Thesis: Elevation and volume change of the ice sheets from GLAS (link)

B.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park (2007)

Minor: Physics

Positions/Employment

Publications

Refereed

Nias, I. J., S. Nowicki, D. Felikson, and B. Loomis. 2023. "Modelling the Greenland Ice Sheet’s committed contribution to sea level during the 21st Century." Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 128 (2): e2022JF006914 [10.1029/2022jf006914]

Felikson, D., S. Nowicki, I. Nias, et al. B. Csatho, A. Schenk, M. Croteau, and B. Loomis. 2022. "Choice of observation type affects Bayesian calibration of ice sheet model projections." EGUsphere [preprint], (Submitted) [10.5194/egusphere-2022-1213]

Ultee, L., D. Felikson, B. Minchew, L. A. Stearns, and B. Riel. 2022. "Helheim Glacier ice velocity variability responds to runoff and terminus position change at different timescales." Nature Communications, 13: 6022 [10.1038/s41467-022-33292-y]

MacGregor, J. A., W. Chu, W. T. Colgan, et al. M. A. Fahnestock, D. Felikson, N. B. Karlsson, S. M. Nowicki, and M. Studinger. 2022. "GBaTSv2: A revised synthesis of the likely basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet." The Cryosphere, [10.5194/tc-16-3033-2022]

Robel, A. A., S. S. Pegler, G. Catania, D. Felikson, and L. M. Simkins. 2022. "Ambiguous stability of glaciers at bed peaks." Journal of Glaciology, [10.1017/jog.2022.31]

Taubenberger, C. J., D. Felikson, and T. Neumann. 2022. "Brief communication: Preliminary ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2) measurements of outlet glaciers reveal heterogeneous patterns of seasonal dynamic thickness change." The Cryosphere, 16 (4): 1341-1348 [10.5194/tc-16-1341-2022]

Felikson, D., S. Nowicki, I. Nias, M. Morlighem, and H. Seroussi. 2022. "Seasonal tidewater glacier terminus oscillations bias multi‐decadal projections of ice mass change." Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127 (2): e2021JF006249 [10.1029/2021JF006249]

Loomis, B. D., D. Felikson, T. J. Sabaka, and B. Medley. 2021. "High‐spatial‐resolution mass rates from GRACE and GRACE‐FO: Global and ice sheet analyses." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126 (12): e2021JB023024 [10.1029/2021JB023024]

Edwards, T. L., S. Nowicki, B. Marzeion, et al. R. Hock, H. Goelzer, H. Seroussi, N. C. Jourdain, D. A. Slater, F. E. Turner, C. J. Smith, C. M. McKenna, E. Simon, A. Abe-Ouchi, J. M. Gregory, E. Larour, W. H. Lipscomb, A. J. Payne, A. Shepherd, C. Agosta, P. Alexander, T. Albrecht, B. Anderson, X. Asay-Davis, A. Aschwanden, A. Barthel, A. Bliss, R. Calov, C. Chambers, N. Champollion, Y. Choi, R. Cullather, J. Cuzzone, C. Dumas, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, K. Fujita, B. K. Galton-Fenzi, R. Gladstone, N. R. Golledge, R. Greve, T. Hattermann, M. J. Hoffman, A. Humbert, M. Huss, P. Huybrechts, W. Immerzeel, T. Kleiner, P. Kraaijenbrink, S. Le clec’h, V. Lee, G. R. Leguy, C. M. Little, D. P. Lowry, J.-H. Malles, D. F. Martin, F. Maussion, M. Morlighem, J. F. O’Neill, I. Nias, F. Pattyn, T. Pelle, S. F. Price, A. Quiquet, V. Radić, R. Reese, D. R. Rounce, M. Rückamp, A. Sakai, C. Shafer, N.-J. Schlegel, S. Shannon, R. S. Smith, F. Straneo, S. Sun, L. Tarasov, L. D. Trusel, J. Van Breedam, R. van de Wal, M. van den Broeke, R. Winkelmann, H. Zekollari, C. Zhao, T. Zhang, and T. Zwinger. 2021. "Projected land ice contributions to twenty-first-century sea level rise." Nature, 593: 74-82 [10.1038/s41586-021-03302-y]

Payne, A. J., S. Nowicki, A. Abe-Ouchi, et al. C. Agosta, P. M. Alexander, T. Albrecht, X. S. Asay-Davis, A. Aschwanden, A. Barthel, T. J. Bracegirdle, R. Calov, C. Chambers, Y. Choi, R. I. Cullather, J. Cuzzone, C. Dumas, T. L. Edwards, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, B. K. Galton-Fenzi, H. Goelzer, R. Gladstone, N. R. Golledge, J. M. Gregory, R. Greve, T. Hattermann, M. J. Hoffman, A. Humbert, P. Huybrechts, N. C. Jourdain, T. Kleiner, P. K. Munneke, E. Larour, S. Le clec'h, V. Lee, G. Leguy, W. H. Lipscomb, C. M. Little, D. P. Lowry, M. Morlighem, I. Nias, F. Pattyn, T. Pelle, S. F. Price, A. Quiquet, R. Reese, M. Rückamp, N.-J. Schlegel, H. Seroussi, A. Shepherd, E. Simon, D. Slater, R. S. Smith, F. Straneo, S. Sun, L. Tarasov, L. D. Trusel, J. Van Breedam, R. van de Wal, M. van den Broeke, R. Winkelmann, C. Zhao, T. Zhang, and T. Zwinger. 2021. "Future Sea Level Change Under Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 and Phase 6 Scenarios From the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets." Geophysical Research Letters, e2020GL091741 [10.1029/2020GL091741]

Felikson, D., G. Catania, T. C. Bartholomaus, M. Morlighem, and B. P. Noël. 2021. "Steep glacier bed knickpoints mitigate inland thinning in Greenland." Geophysical Research Letters, 48: e2020GL090112 [10.1029/2020gl090112]

Goelzer, H., S. Nowicki, A. Payne, et al. E. Larour, H. Seroussi, W. H. Lipscomb, J. Gregory, A. Abe-Ouchi, A. Shepherd, E. Simon, C. Agosta, P. Alexander, A. Aschwanden, A. Barthel, R. Calov, C. Chambers, Y. Choi, J. Cuzzone, C. Dumas, T. Edwards, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, N. R. Golledge, R. Greve, A. Humbert, P. Huybrechts, S. Le clec'h, V. Lee, G. Leguy, C. Little, D. P. Lowry, M. Morlighem, I. Nias, A. Quiquet, M. Rückamp, N.-J. Schlegel, D. Slater, R. Smith, F. Straneo, L. Tarasov, R. van de Wal, and M. van den Broeke. 2020. "The future sea-level contribution of the Greenland ice sheet: a multi-model ensemble study of ISMIP6." The Cryosphere, [10.5194/tc-14-3071-2020]

Nowicki, S., A. J. Payne, H. Goelzer, et al. H. Seroussi, W. H. Lipscomb, A. Abe-Ouchi, C. Agosta, P. Alexander, X. S. Asay-Davis, A. Barthel, T. J. Bracegirdle, R. Cullather, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, J. Gregory, T. Hatterman, N. C. Jourdain, P. Kuipers Munneke, E. Larour, C. M. Little, M. Morlinghem, I. Nias, A. Shepherd, E. Simon, D. Slater, R. Smith, F. Straneo, L. D. Trusel, M. R. van den Broeke, and R. van de Wal. 2020. "Experimental protocol for sealevel projections from ISMIP6 stand-alone ice sheet models." The Cryosphere, 13: 2331–2368 [10.5194/tc-14-2331-2020]

Shepherd, A., E. Ivins, E. Rignot, et al. B. Smith, M. van den Broeke, I. Velicogna, P. Whitehouse, K. Briggs, I. Joughin, G. Krinner, S. M. Nowicki, T. Payne, T. Scambos, N. Schlegel, A. Geruo, C. Agosta, A. Ahlstrøm, G. Babonis, V. R. Barletta, A. A. Bjørk, A. Blazquez, J. Bonin, W. Colgan, B. Csatho, R. I. Cullather, M. Engdahl, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, R. Forsberg, A. E. Hogg, H. Gallee, A. Gardner, L. Gilbert, N. Gourmelen, A. Groh, B. Gunter, E. Hanna, C. Harig, V. Helm, A. Horvath, M. Horwath, S. Khan, K. K. Kjeldsen, H. Konrad, P. L. Langen, B. Lecavalier, B. D. Loomis, S. B. Luthcke, M. McMillan, D. Melini, S. Mernild, Y. Mohajerani, P. Moore, R. Mottram, J. Mouginot, G. Moyano, A. Muir, T. Nagler, G. Nield, J. Nilsson, B. Noël, I. Otosaka, M. E. Pattle, W. R. Peltier, N. Pie, R. Rietbroek, H. Rott, L. S. Sørensen, I. Sasgen, H. Save, B. Scheuchl, E. Schrama, L. Schröder, K.-W. Seo, S. B. Simonsen, T. Slater, G. Spada, T. Sutterley, M. Talpe, L. Tarasov, W. J. van de Berg, W. van der Wal, M. van Wessem, B. D. Vishwakarma, D. Wiese, D. Wilton, T. Wagner, B. Wouters, and J. Wuite. 2020. "Mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2018." Nature, 579: 233-239 [10.1038/s41586-019-1855-2]

Slater, D. A., D. Felikson, F. Straneo, et al. H. Goelzer, C. M. Little, M. Morlighem, X. Fettweis, and S. Nowicki. 2020. "Twenty-first century ocean forcing of the Greenland ice sheet for modelling of sea level contribution." The Cryosphere, 14 (3): 985-1008 [10.5194/tc-14-985-2020]

Slater, D., F. Straneo, D. Felikson, et al. C. Little, H. Goelzer, X. Fettweis, and J. Holte. 2019. "Estimating Greenland tidewater glacier retreat driven by submarine melting." The Cryosphere, 13 (9): 2489–2509 [10.5194/tc-13-2489-2019]

Shepherd, A., E. Ivins, E. Rignot, et al. B. Smith, M. V. Broeke, I. Velicogna, P. Whitehouse, K. Briggs, I. Joughin, G. Krinner, S. M. Crooks Nowicki, T. Payne, T. Scambos, N. Schlegel, G. A, C. Agosta, A. Ahstrøm, G. Babonis, V. Barletta, A. Blazquez, J. Bonin, B. Csatho, R. Cullather, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, R. Forsberg, H. Gallee, A. Gardner, L. Gilbert, A. Groh, B. Gunter, E. Hanna, C. Harig, V. Helm, A. Horwath, M. Horwath, S. Khan, K. K. Kjeldsen, H. Konrad, P. Langen, B. Lecavalier, B. D. Loomis, S. B. Luthcke, M. McMillan, D. Melini, S. Mernild, Y. Mohajerani, P. Moore, J. Mouginot, G. Moyano, A. Muir, T. Nagler, G. Nield, J. Nilsson, B. Noel, I. Otosaka, M. E. Pattle, W. R. Peltier, N. Pie, R. Rietbroek, H. Rott, L. Sandberg-Sørensen, I. Sagen, H. Save, B. Scheuchl, E. Schrama, L. Schröder, K.-W. Seo, S. Simonsen, T. Slater, G. Spada, T. Sutterley, L. Tarasov, W. J. van de Berg, W. van der Wal, B. D. Vishwakarma, D. Wiese, and B. Wouters. 2018. "Mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2017." Nature, 558 (7709): 219-222 [10.1038/s41586-018-0179-y]

Moon, T., D. A. Sutherland, D. Carroll, et al. D. Felikson, L. Kehrl, and F. Straneo. 2017. "Subsurface iceberg melt key to Greenland fjord freshwater budget." Nature Geoscience, 11 (1): 49-54 [10.1038/s41561-017-0018-z]

Felikson, D., T. J. Urban, B. C. Gunter, et al. N. Pie, H. D. Pritchard, R. Harpold, and B. E. Schutz. 2017. "Comparison of Elevation Change Detection Methods From ICESat Altimetry Over the Greenland Ice Sheet." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 55 (10): 5494-5505 [10.1109/tgrs.2017.2709303]

Felikson, D., T. C. Bartholomaus, G. A. Catania, et al. N. J. Korsgaard, K. H. Kjær, M. Morlighem, B. Noël, M. van den Broeke, L. A. Stearns, E. L. Shroyer, D. A. Sutherland, and J. D. Nash. 2017. "Inland thinning on the Greenland ice sheet controlled by outlet glacier geometry." Nature Geoscience, 10 (5): 366-369 [10.1038/ngeo2934]

Carroll, D., D. A. Sutherland, B. Hudson, et al. T. Moon, G. A. Catania, E. L. Shroyer, J. D. Nash, T. C. Bartholomaus, D. Felikson, L. A. Stearns, B. P. Noël, and M. van den Broeke. 2016. "The impact of glacier geometry on meltwater plume structure and submarine melt in Greenland fjords." Geophysical Research Letters, 43 (18): 9739-9748 [10.1002/2016GL070170]

Bartholomaus, T. C., L. A. Stearns, D. A. Sutherland, et al. E. L. Shroyer, J. D. Nash, R. T. Walker, G. Catania, D. Felikson, D. Carroll, M. J. Fried, B. P. Noël, and M. R. Van Den Broeke. 2016. "Contrasts in the response of adjacent fjords and glaciers to ice-sheet surface melt in West Greenland." Ann. Glaciol., 57 (73): 25-38 [10.1017/aog.2016.19]

Levinsen, J., K. Khvorostovsky, F. Ticconi, et al. A. Shepherd, R. Forsberg, L. Sørensen, A. Muir, N. Pie, D. Felikson, T. Flament, R. Hurkmans, G. Moholdt, B. Gunter, R. Lindenbergh, and M. Kleinherenbrink. 2015. "ESA ice sheet CCI: derivation of the optimal method for surface elevation change detection of the Greenland ice sheet – round robin results." International Journal of Remote Sensing, 36 (2): 551-573 [10.1080/01431161.2014.999385]

Non-Refereed

Felikson, D., M. Ekinci, J. Hashmall, and M. Vess. 2011. "On-Orbit Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Star Tracker Warm Pixel Analysis." AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Portland, Oregon, August 8 - August 11, 2011 [10.2514/6.2011-6728]

Hashmall, J. A., D. Felikson, and J. E. Sedlak. 2009. "Use of fuzzycones for sun-only attitude determination: THEMIS becomes ARTEMIS." Proceedings of the 21st International Symposium on Space Flight Dynamics, Toulouse, France, September 28 – October 2, 2009, NASA Technical Report, Document ID 20090032015

Awards

Peer Award for Scientific Achievement, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Code 610HBG, 2022

Spot Award for Leadership, Universities Space Research Association, 2021

Early Career Scientist Award, International Association of Cryospheric Sciences, 2019

NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowship, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 2018-2020

Gale White Fellowship, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, 2017

Texas Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship, Texas Space Grant, 2016

Cryosphere Student Innovation Award, American Geophysical Union, 2016

Talks, Presentations and Posters

Invited

Teaching Experience

Teaching Assistant, Applied Orbital Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2015

Teaching Assistant, Spacecraft Mission Design, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2015

Guest Lecturer, Introduction to the Cryosphere, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2016

Professional Service

Organizer and co-leader, NASA Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory retreat, 2019

• Planned and led discussions on mentorship and collaboration with 20 person group.
• Organized and led team-building activities.
• Developed survey to poll about lab culture.

Member, Greenland ocean-forcing working group, ISMIP6, 2018-2019

• Planned and managed working group activites; analyzed ocean data from global climate models; created ocean forcing data products for ISMIP6; and published results of analysis.

Contributor, Ice-sheet Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (IMBIE), 2012, 2016

• Managed consistency in ice sheet mass balance estimates from two researchers.
• Submitted ice sheet mass balance estimates for Greenland and Antarctica for intercomparison.

Convener, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting sessions

• AGU 2020: Controls on Marine-Terminating Glacier, Ice Stream, and Ice Shelf Dynamics in Observations and Models
• AGU 2019 Session C009: Controls on Tidewater Glacier Terminus Dynamics in Observations and Models

Reviewer, Geophysical Research Letters, Quaternary Science Reviews, Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, International Journal of Remote Sensing, Geophysical Research Letters, Computers & Geosciences, Remote Sensing of Environment, IPCC Second Order Draft from Working Group 1 of Assessment Report 6 (SOD-WGI-AR6, 2020), IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC, 2019)

Judge, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Outstanding Student Presentation Award, 2018, 2019, 2021