Dr.
Cornell joined the faculty at UT El Paso in 1971 while completing his
doctoral dissertation. His research activity has encompassed a variety
of microfossil groups and has spanned much geologic time. Studies
include Devonian and Mississippian chitinozoa, Permian radiolarians,
Cretaceous chrysophytes, dinoflagellates, foraminifera, and
silicoflagellates, Tertiary silicoflagellates, and Plio/Pleistocene
spores and pollen. Most of these studies have been conducted on strata
of the El Paso region.
In addition to
these biostratigraphic taxonomic, or paleoenvironmental projects,
Cornell also has conducted research in thermal maturation of
sedimentary organic matter, chiefly in association with plutonic rocks.
One doctoral student is currently studying Jurassic palynostratigraphy
of southeastern Arizona.