The Permian Research Institute (PRI) developed out of common research interests of Claude Spinosa and Walter Snyder and was authorized by the Idaho State Board of Education in 1992 as a distinct research program within the Department of Geosciences, Boise State University. Scott Ritter of Brigham Young University has brought expertise in conodont biostratigraphy and carbonate sequence stratigraphy to PRI. Bruce Wardlaw, conodont biostratigraphy, of the US Geological Survey is a collaborator and co-author.
PRI has grown with the addition of Vladimir Davydov (fusulinid biostratigraphy). Vladimir is a Research Professor who brings not only expertise in fusulinid biostratigraphy, but close ties with his home employer, the All Russian Research Institute (VSEGEI), St. Petersburg. Other Russian geologists have made short visits to PRI and such visits will continue. Tamra A. Schiappa (ammonoid and conodont biostratigraphy) also a Research Professor is currently active in our research in Russia and Nevada and developing Internet courses for the Department of Geosciences.
We typically have three or four graduate students and two to three undergraduate students working with PRI faculty and staff. Our current graduate students are actively working on biostratigraphic and stratigraphic projects in the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate systems of the southern Urals and Nevada and we have one active undergraduate preparing a senior thesis addressing the structural complexities in the Diamond Mountain Range in Nevada.
PRI has quickly expanded to include researchers from other institutions. PRI conducts research in association with scientists from: Brigham Young University, University of Iowa, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Idaho, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Geological Survey of Canada. PRI also has formal research agreements with the All Russian Research Institute, St. Petersburg (VSEGEI); The Palaeontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; The Geological and Geochemical Institute, Ural Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg; and with St. Petersburg University.
OBJECTIVES:
The main function of PRI is to conduct geologic research broadly related to global Permian geology. Specific research projects have been diverse, including: Permian-Carboniferous biostratigraphy, stratigraphy and structure of the Southern Pre-Uralian Foredeep, Late Paleozoic basins and tectonics of the continental margin of the western U.S., Paleobiogeographic implications of Lower Permian ammonoids from western North America, Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian conodont and ammonoid biostratigraphy of the Dry Mountain Trough, Nevada.
Studies on younger strata include: Late Tertiary tectonics and sequence stratigraphy of the fluvial-lacustrine rift basin of the western Snake River Plain, and Structural geology of the Miocene Monterey Formation, California.
We have had two active grants for cooperative Russia-U.S. geologic research in the Ural Mountains; sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the other by the American Chemical Society’s Petroleum Research Fund. Field seasons were 1991, 1993 through 1997. We have other proposals pending with the NSF to expanded studies into the Moscow Basin area of central European Russia. International oil companies are interested in the under exploited petroleum resources of the Former Soviet Union. Consequently, we are trying to publish our results in appropriate journals for that audience and we are attempting to develop an "Industrial Associates" program.
In the past, we have conducted research in China (1987,
1989) and Siberia (1992). Future plans are to write proposals for studies in the Yukon of
Canada and Mexico. Further details about current and potential future research projects
are provided under "Research Projects."
Page last updated:
15 October 1999