Faculty

Carl F. Vondra

Distinguished Professor, Emeritus
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology

178 Science I
Dept. of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
515-294-5867
Email: cfvondra@iastate.edu

Education
B.S. University of Nebraska, 1956
M.S. University of Nebraska, 1958
Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 1963
 
Research Interests
During the past 25 years, Professor Vondra's research has focused on ancient fluvial (stream) systems as they apply to the stratigraphic documentation and relative age determination of the fossil remains of early man, his ancestors and associated faunas and the interpretation of paleoenvironments recorded by the strata in which these fossil remains are preserved. He has provided a stratigraphic base and paleoenvironmental interpretations for such critical fossil localities as the Fayum Depression, Egypt (Aegyptopithecus zuesis), the Siwalik Hills, northern India (Gigantopithecus bilaspurensis), East Turkana, Kenya (Australopithecus africanus and Homo erectus), the central Afar, Ethiopia, (Australopithecus afarenis), and the Cagayan Valley, northern Luzon, Philippines. In addition he as studied the fluvial facies models for complex plate boundary associations for two of the three possible plate boundary types, the convergent (collisional) and divergent (rift) plate boundaries and his paleoenvironmental interpretations of critical fossil localities have broadened the understanding of the Cenozoic history of Africa, Asia, and North America.

Teaching
Professor Vondra continues to teach at Iowa State Geological Station where students develop an appreciation for synthesizing material learned in the classroom through field observations and mapping techniques. Dr. Vondra also teaches Historical Geology back on campus.
 
Selected Refeered Publications
Kimbel, W.H., Vondra, C.F. et. al., 1996, Late Pliocene Homo and Oldowan Tools from the Hadar Formation (Kada Hadar Member) Ethiopia. Jour. of Human Evolution, 22 ms. pages.

Enzl, C., Trappe, J., and Vondra, C.F. 1996, Silicified stromatolites, paleokarst and diagenetic overprinting along sequence boundary beds, Madison/Darwin contact, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming - a tool for low-stand carbonate deposystem investigation: 1996 Wyoming Geol. Assoc. Guidebook, 47th Annual Field Conf., p. 137-144.

Forster, A., Irmen, A., and Vondra, C.F., 1996, Structural Interpretation of Sheep Mountain Anticline, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming: Wyoming Geol. Assoc. Guidebook, 47th Annual Field Conf. (in press).

Kvale, E.P. and Vondra, C.F., 1994, Effects of relative sea-level changes and local tectonics on a Lower Cretaceous fluvial to transitional marine sequence, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA. In M. Marzo and C. Puigdefabregas (eds) Alluvial Sedimentation. Spec. Publ. 17, International Association of Sedimentologist, p. 383-399.

Beck, R.A., Vondra, C.F., Filkins, J.E., and Olander, J.D., 1988, Syntectonic sedimentation and Laramide basement thrusting, Rocky Mountain foreland: Timing of deformation. In C. J. Schmidt and W. J. Perry, Jr. (eds.), Interaction of the Rocky Mountain Foreland and Cordilleran Thrust Belt. Geol. Soc. America Memoir 171, pp. 465 488.

Uhlir, D.M., Vondra, C.F., and Akers, A., 1988, A mesotidal barrier complex, Upper Jurassic, Wyoming. Sedimentology, v. 35, no. 4, pp. 739 752.