Miami University

Associate Professor

Ph.D. (1998) University of Arizona
125 Shideler Hall
513-529-7578
curriebs@muohio.edu

My research focuses on a variety of problems involving sedimentary geology and tectnoics. I integrate the fields of sedimentology, stratigraphy, structural geology, and geochemistry to decipher the factors controlling sedimentary basin development, and the structural evolution of mountain belts. I also work on the characterization of petroleum systems at both the regional and reservoir scale. I currently have active research projects in Tibet, Chile, Argentina, and the western United States.

Possible thesis/dissertation topics:

• Cenozoic paleoaltimetry of the Tibetan Plateau.
• Tectonic controls on Triassic rift-basin evolution, western Argentina.
• Mesozoic tectonic history of the North American Cordillera.
• Characterization of Mesozoic-Tertiary hydrocarbon reservoirs, Uinta Basin, Utah.

Current/recent graduate student research:

Depositional origin of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Buckhorn Conglomerate, Utah and Colorado, David Nicklaus, M.S., in progress.

Sequence stratigraphy of Upper Jurassic marginal-marine strata, Uinta Basin, Utah-Colorado, Pramod, Nepal, M.S., in progress.

Stratigraphy and palynology of the Albian-Cenomanian Dakota Formation and Mowry Shale, Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado, Justin Pierson, M.S., 2009.

Reservoir characterization of the mid-Cretaceous Dakota Formation, southern Uinta
basin, Utah, Joshua Dark, M.S., 2008.

Sequence stratigraphy of the Curtis, Summerville, and Stump formations, Utah and
northwest Colorado, William Wilcox, M.S., 2007.

Kinematic reconstruction of a Triassic syndepositional detachment fault, Ischigualasto Provincial Park, northwestern Argentina; Tony Albrecht, M.S., 2005.

Selected publications:

Currie, B.S., Colombi, C.E., Tabor, N.J., Shipman, T.C., and Montañez, I.P., 2009, Stratigraphy and architecture of the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation, Ischigualasto Provincial Park, San Juan, Argentina.  Journal of South American Earth Sciences, v. 27, p. 74-87.

Wolde-Gabriel, G., Ambrose, S.H., Barboni, D., Bonnefille, R., Bremond, L., Currie, B., DeGusta, D., Hart, W.K., Murray, A.M., Renne, P.R., Jolly-Saad, Stewart, K.M., and White, T.D., 2009, Geological, isotopic, botanical, invertebrate, and lower vertebrate surroundings of Ardipithecus ramidus.  Science, v. 326, p. 65, 65e1-65e5.

Currie, B.S., *Dark, J.P., McPherson, M.L., and Pierson, J.A., 2008, Fluvial Channel Architecture of the Albian-Cenomanian Dakota Formation, southern Uinta Basin.  In: Longman, M.A., and Morgan, C.D. eds., Hydrocarbon systems and production in the Uinta Basin, Utah, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and Utah Geologic Association Publication 37, p. 65-79.

Currie, B.S., McPherson, M.L., Dark, J.P., and Pierson, J.A., 2008, Reservoir characterization of the Cretaceous Cedar Mountain and Dakota Formations, southern Uinta basin: Year Two Report. Utah Geological Survey Open-File-Report 516, 117 p.

Rowley, D.B., and Currie, B.S., 2006,  Paleo-Altimetry of Late Eocene to Miocene Lunpola Basin, Central Tibet: Implications for Growth of the Tibetan Plateau. Nature, v. 439, p. 677-681.

Currie, B.S., Rowley, D.B. and Tabor, N.J., 2005, Mid-Miocene paleoaltimetry of southern Tibet: Implications for the role of mantle thickening and delamination in the Himalayan orogen. Geology, v. 33, p. 181-184.

Selected grants:

National Science Foundation
Testing Models of Tibetan Plateau Uplift Using Stable Isotope-Based Paleoaltimetry; with David Rowley (University of Chicago).

National Science Foundation
Miocene Climate Change West of the Central Andes: Cause or Consequence of Uplift?; with Jason Rech and Terry Jordan (Cornell University).

Utah Geological Survey
Reservoir characterization of the Cretaceous Cedar Mountain and Dakota Formations, southern Uinta Basin; with Mary McPherson (McPherson Geologic Consulting).

Courses Taught

GLG 111                    Dynamic Earth
GLG 301                    Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
GLG 411/511              Field Geology
GLG 450/4550            Basin Analysis
GLG 633                    Extensional Tectonics

For complete descriptions of courses please click here.

Please click here to see Dr. Currie's curriculum vita.

For more information on Dr. Currie, go to his complete vita.