Michael Rampino

Michael Rampino is Professor of Biology with the Earth and Environmental Science Program at New York University and is a Research Consultant at NASA, Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He received his B.A. from Hunter College of the City University of New York and his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Columbia University. A highly regarded teacher at NYU, Professor Rampino’s research led to his proposal of the Shiva Hypothesis, a general theory integrating astrophysics, planetary geology and the environment, and the history of life to account for Earth’s periodic extinctions. His research also investigates the role of volcanic eruptions in extinctions, biogeochemical cycles, and global climate over a range of time scales.