Daniel Chupik

Dr. Daniel Chupik is a geologist whose research focuses on reconstructing ancient landscapes and environments in the Afar Depression of Ethiopia, a region that preserves an exceptional record of early hominin evolution, volcanism, and continental rifting. His work examines how volcanism, tectonics, and sedimentary processes interact to shape landscapes and sedimentary basins through time, and how these changing environments provide context for the early hominin record.

His research integrates field mapping, stratigraphy, drone-based remote sensing, geochemistry, and geochronology to investigate landscape evolution, rift-basin development, and volcanic histories. More broadly, he is interested in active tectonic and volcanic environments and in using field observations and geospatial techniques to understand the processes that shape Earth's surface.

Dr. Chupik earned his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University in 2025 and joined St. Lawrence University in 2026. His teaching interests span intro geology, natural hazards, field geology, tectonics, and GIS. At St. Lawrence, he teaches courses including Natural Hazards and Disasters, The Dynamic Earth, and Directed Studies.