Joshua works with Dr. Justin T. Maxwell of the Environmental Tree-Ring Lab in the Department of Geography. His research area focuses on paleoclimatology and climate change, especially prehistoric hurricanes. He studies changes in frequency and intensity of prehistoric hurricanes and long-term hurricane–climate interactions using proxies such as sediment, tree rings, isotopes, and microfossils.
His interest in paleoclimate developed when he was conducting his M.S. research in geological oceanography at the University of Southern Mississippi. Joshua has a diverse educational background: he completed his undergraduate studies in both environmental science and Spanish at the University of Central Arkansas.