Biography

Dan's formal education includes BS and MS degrees in Geology from the University of Arkansas and a PhD in Geology from Texas A&M University. Other important educational and professional experiences include an internship with Shell Oil Company in New Orleans and post-doctoral research in the Caribbean and Central America as well as at Purdue University.
Dan is a paleontologist and stratigrapher whose research interests are diverse but generally encompass geologic history and evolutionary biology. Since moving to Utah, his studies have focussed mainly on the Mesozoic of western North America. These investigations have often involved numerous UVU students and international collaborations of scientists concentrating especially on the ancient life and environments of the Early Triassic.
Dan is a full-time faculty member in the Department of Earth Science. In addition, he previously served as the Director of the Environmental Studies Program at UVU for over a decade. He has worked on campus and beyond in a broad range of capacities at a broad range of levels, from giving fossil presentations to local kindergarten classes to serving as President of the Southwest Section of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers to helping organize professional scientific conferences.
Although research and service are vital components of his workload, Dan's primary role at UVU is teaching. He has developed and taught over a dozen different courses on a wide variety of topics in geology, biology, and environmental studies, including a study abroad natural history course in Costa Rica.

Curriculum Vitae