Hi! I am a researcher at Penn State University. I study 2 to 3 million year old sedimentary rocks and volcanic ash layers in the Afar Depression, Ethiopia and 6 million year old rocks in Kenya to learn about past depositional environments, rift tectonics, and volcanic systems. These sedimentary rocks contain fossils of vertebrate fauna, including early humans at some sites, making these areas important places for studying human evolution.

I also feel strongly about motivating and sharing what we do as scientists with the next generation of explorers. Over the course of my academic career I have been involved in several outreach programs for K-12 students that promote STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). These programs were funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, Arizona State University, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

I am currently also the Associate Director of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium.

Contact Info
Department of Geosciences
Pennsylvania State University
308 Deike Building
University Park, PA 16802

email: dimaggio@psu.edu