Professor of Paleobiology Ronald Martin
Professor of Paleobiology Ronald Martin has published Earth’s Evolving Systems: The History of Planet Earth, with Jones & Bartlett Learning. The textbook will be integrated into the new undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Geological Sciences.
The book examines Earth’s evolution and interactions between the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and other systems. Students will gain understanding of basic geology concepts like mountain formation and sea level, as well as insights into the dynamic processes that shaped the planet from its first origins to modern times.
“My hope is for teachers to integrate the study of modern Earth systems with past ones and develop students’ interests in Earth systems, the history of the Earth and life, and the unique perspective that geology brings to science and society,” Martin said.
Martin studied geology at Bowling Green State University and earned his doctorate in protozoology from the University of California, Berkeley, before joining the UD faculty in 1985. He established the paleobiology concentration at UD and served as president of the North American Micropaleontology Section of the Society for Sedimentary Geology. He has edited and authored numerous publications, and he teaches courses in stratigraphy, micropaleontology, and environmental change.