Diana Boyer

Biography

Dr. Boyer is an Associate Professor of Geology at Winthrop. She received her undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Delaware. Her doctoral research focused on fossil communities in high stress (low oxygen) settings as preserved in black shale deposits of New York State. Dr. Boyer served as a faculty member for 8 years and earned tenure at SUNY Oswego in the department of Atmospheric and Geological Sciences before joining the faculty at Winthrop. Here at Winthrop she teaches Historical Geology, Dinosaurs, and other upper-division courses in geology. Dr. Boyer’s research focuses on understanding ancient depositional conditions, in particular those associated with low oxygen conditions preserved in black shales. She is investigating the mechanisms driving of the End Devonian mass extinctions through geochemical, sedimentological, and paleontological proxies. The causes of this extinction are poorly understood and have potential parallels to changes in modern oceans and impact on life. She has been externally funded through the Petroleum Research Fund and the National Science Foundation and has numerous publications in professional journals.

Research Interest

Historical Geology, Dinosaurs.