Paul Durkin

Paul Durkin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Manitoba’s Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. His research focuses on fluvial sedimentology, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and the application of remote sensing technologies such as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). He leads the Rivers to Rocks research group, which investigates river dynamics in diverse settings, including Dinosaur Provincial Park (Alberta), Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), and the Assiniboine River (Manitoba).

Dr. Durkin holds a Ph.D. in Geosciences (Sedimentary Geology) from the University of Calgary (2016) and a B.Sc. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from McMaster University (2011). He teaches courses including GEOL 2530 (Sedimentary Petrology), GEOL 4520 (Petroleum Geology), and advanced seminars in sedimentology and geological systems.

His research integrates fieldwork with 3D modeling to study meander belt evolution, fluvial avulsions, and sedimentary records of ancient environments. Notable projects include reconstructing dinosaur habitat contexts in Alberta’s Dinosaur Park Formation and analyzing hominin habitats in Olduvai Gorge’s rift-basin sediments. Publications span sedimentology, geomorphology, and geoinformatics, emphasizing the interplay between modern and ancient fluvial systems.

Dr. Durkin’s work contributes to both academic and applied domains, informing oil sands reservoir modeling (e.g., McMurray Formation studies) and advancing open science through digital outcrop visualization tools.