Gregory Burzynski, PhD

Main Research and Teaching Interests

Conservation paleobiology, early metazoan evolution, benthic ecology, sedimentary geology

Biography

I am a paleontologist and marine ecologist interested in conservation paleobiology of coral reefs. The goal of my lab is to compare recent (≤12,000 year old) fossil reefs to modern reefs, to see how reefs have changed over the Holocene, with the goal of aiding coral reef conservation and reconstruction. I am also interested in deep-time evolution of the animal (metazoan) kingdom in the Neoproterozoic era (1,000 – 539 million years ago). In particular, I’m interested in the role of predation in early metazoan evolution, the role of reefs in early metazoan evolution, and physical modeling of early metazoan bauplans. Related to this, I am also interested in the ecology of soft-bodied cnidarians as apex predators, particularly how they influence benthic communities.

I hold a PhD (2017) in geological science from Queen’s University (Kingston, ON, Canada), an MS (2010) in geology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (Wilmington, NC, USA), a BS (2007) in biology from Salisbury University (Salisbury, MD, USA), and an AA (2005) in Life Sciences from Howard Community College (Columbia, MD, USA). Prior to my role at the University of the Virgin Islands, I was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Fairfield University (2022 – 2024) where I helped to found an affinity group for disabled and neurodivergent faculty and staff, and a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution at Susquehanna University (2021 – 2022). I also volunteered as a Gallery Ambassador at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (2023 – 2024) in Norwalk, CT, USA, and a tour guide for the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust (2018 – 2023) in Isle La Motte, VT, USA. I was born in Santa Maria, California, and moved to Columbia, Maryland at age 6. I enjoys snorkeling, light hiking, music, sports, trying new foods, traveling/sightseeing, and riding my electric scooter. Anything else you want to know, just ask!