Since joining the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at the start of the 2025–2026 academic year, Assistant Professor Dr. Adam Benfield has hit the ground running: launching new research projects, working closely with students, and beginning interdisciplinary conversations around some of the region's most unique landscapes. His work brings new perspectives on Earth's recent geological past of climate and environments to the department and expands opportunities for hands-on undergraduate research.
Dr. Benfield is a Quaternary paleoclimatologist and paleoecologist whose research focuses on understanding climate and environmental change during the recent geologic past. His work centers on the analysis of microfossils, such as pollen, and stable isotopes preserved in wetland and lake sediments. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania sparked Dr. Benfield's early fascination with geology and ecology, an interest that would shape his academic path. He earned his B.S. and Ph.D. in Geosciences from Penn State, with a master’s degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Lehigh University along the way. Before joining App State, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Franklin & Marshall College, where he developed a strong record of research and undergraduate mentorship. At Appalachian State, he is currently focusing on reconstructing the environmental history of Southern Appalachian bogs in the High Country, providing insight into how these unique ecosystems have responded to past climate variability.
Students play a central role in his research program. Undergraduate researcher Lily Taylor is examining the geochemistry of peat soils from a bog near Boone to reconstruct past hydrology and carbon cycling, and Beau Stafford is analyzing fossil pollen assemblages from the same site to understand how vegetation communities have shifted throughout time. These projects exemplify the hands-on, field- and lab-based research opportunities available to students interested in paleoecology.
Collaboration is also a key component of Dr. Benfield's work at App State, and he is determined for everyone to love bogs. He is eager to collaborate with fellow GES faculty as well as colleagues in Geography, Biology, and Anthropology to explore the environmental and geomorphological history of High Country bogs and surrounding landscapes.
When asked what he enjoys most about living and working in Boone, Dr. Benfield points to the scenery, the summer weather, and going on walks with his dog, Skipper. “Boone’s a fun small town in a gorgeous part of the world,” he notes, “and App State has proven to be a really nice place to work.”
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