Christopher McRoberts

Christopher McRoberts is a Distinguished SUNY Professor at the State University of New York at Cortland with additional research affiliations as Research Associate at both the American Museum of Natural History and Binghamton University. His academic home is within the Geological Sciences department where he teaches core courses including Historical Geology (GLY 262), Invertebrate Paleontology (GLY 363), Sedimentary Geology (GLY 359), and specialized offerings like Mass Extinctions (GLY 529).

Dr. McRoberts earned his PhD from Syracuse University in 1994. His research program has been consistently supported by competitive external funding, particularly from the National Science Foundation and the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society, enabling extensive fieldwork across multiple continents.

His primary research focuses on three interconnected areas: the paleobiology and paleoecology of bivalve molluscs; diversity and extinction patterns of Early Mesozoic marine invertebrate faunas; and the biochronology of Triassic bivalve molluscs. A significant portion of his work investigates the end-Triassic mass extinction, one of Earth's five largest extinction events, with field sites in Austria, Italy, North America, and Alaska. His research integrates systematic paleontology with geochemical and paleoecological analyses to understand biodiversity changes through the Triassic period.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on Triassic-Jurassic boundary studies, biostratigraphy, and bivalve evolution. His work spans multiple geographic regions including North America, Europe, and Asia, with particular emphasis on Norian and Rhaetian stage faunas. Methodologically, his research combines traditional paleontological approaches with modern geochemical techniques and high-precision dating methods.

• Distinguished SUNY Professor
• Editor-in-Chief of Albertiana journal
• Past Secretary General of the Subcommission on Triassic Stratigraphy

Dr. McRoberts actively involves undergraduate students in all aspects of his field and laboratory research, providing valuable research training opportunities. His work has been supported by multiple National Science Foundation grants and the Petroleum Research Fund, enabling field expeditions to collect fossil bivalves across western North America, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. He maintains strong international collaborations with researchers from Austria, Italy, China, and other countries.

As Editor-in-Chief of Albertiana and former Secretary General of the Subcommission on Triassic Stratigraphy (STS), he plays a significant role in the international geological community's efforts to define and refine the Triassic geological timescale under the auspices of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.