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Daniel Muhs

I study geomorphology, soils and Quaternary stratigraphy to reconstruct paleoclimates over the past two and a half million years of geologic time.

My main study areas are in the central and western USA (Mississippi Valley, Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, desert Southwest, Pacific Coast and Alaska), but I have also worked in the Caribbean, Spain and Israel.  My main interests are in origin and paleoclimatic significance of dune fields, stratigraphy and paleopedology of loess, effects of long-range-transported dust on soils, the atmosphere, oceans and ecosystems, and sea level history.

 

 

Education:

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 1977-1980 (Ph.D., Physical geography/Geology)

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 1973-1975 (M.S., Physical geography/Soil science)

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 1972-1973 (B.A., Physical geography)

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 1970-1972 (B.A., English, History)

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 1968-1970  (English)

 

 

Professional experience:

1995-date:  Geologist, Geology and Environmental Change Science Center, USGS, Denver, CO

1985-1995: Geologist, Branch of Isotope Geology, USGS, Denver, CO

1983-1984:  Soil Scientist with USGS while on leave-of-absence with the University of Wisconsin to accept National Research Council Research Associateship, Denver, Colorado. 

1980-1985:  Assistant and Associate Professor of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

1978-1980, part-time Soil Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Central Regional Geology.

1977-1979: Instructor (while a Ph.D student), Department of Geography, University of Colorado at Boulder and University of Colorado at Denver

1975-1976:  Soil Scientist, U.S. Soil Conservation Service/Iowa State University