Academic Background
Ph.D., University of Calgary (2016) - Geosciences (Sedimentary Geology)
B.Sc., McMaster University (2011) - Earth and Environmental Sciences
Dr. Paul Durkin
Director, PaleoSed+
Associate Professor, Associate Head, Department of Earth Sciences
I am the lead investigator for the Rivers to Rocks research group that tackles projects spanning from: (i) the “badlands” of Dinosaur Provincial Park, where they study the evolution of Late Cretaceous rivers and environmental context of dinosaur discoveries; to (ii) the sedimentological impact of extreme flooding on the Assiniboine River in southwestern Manitoba; and (iii) paleoenvironmental reconstructions of hominin habitats in rift-basin sediments of the archeologically significant Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
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Our research integrates a classic field-based approach with innovative technology and analytical methods, including the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). We aim to extract vital information from the sedimentary record to resolve the temporal and spatial context of significant discoveries and time periods in Earth's history.