Richard Vachula

Email: rsvachula@wm.edu

Education

• Ph.D. in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University
• M.S. in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University
• B.S. in Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• B.A. in French Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests

Organic Geochemistry, Paleoecology, Paleoclimatology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Geoarchaeology, Geoinformatics

My research combines paleoecology and organic geochemistry to study the variability, controls, and impacts of fire in the Earth System, as well as the ecological impacts of humans on North American ecosystems. I am particularly interested in using our understanding of how fires and humans have affected ecosystems of the past to inform management and policy decisions today.

See Richard’s website for more information.