Leadership Team

Professional Affiliations

Professor Emeritus of Geology, Geophysics and Oceanography, Dept. Natural Sciences, Univ. Hawaiʻi - Windward (Kaneohe, HI)
Affiliate Graduate Faculty, Dept. Geology & Geophysics, Univ. Hawaiʻi - Manoa (Honolulu, HI)
Senior Researcher and Vice-President Board of Directors, Associated Scientists at Woods Hole (Woods Hole, MA)
Member, Board of Trustees, Institute for Aegean Prehistory (Greenwich, CT)
Member, Board of Trustees, Institute for Aegean Prehistory, Study Center of East Crete (Greenwich, CT)

Education

Ph.D. (1974) Geological Sciences, Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA [Late Quaternary History of the E. Med. Sea]
M.S. (1965) Geological Sciences, Univ. Hawaii, Honolulu, HI [Geology of Ofu and Olosega, Manu'a, Samoa]
B.S. (1962) Geology, Univ. Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Primary and secondary education in Honoka'a, Lihue, and Hilo, Hawaiʻi (Territory of Hawaii)

Professional Memberships

Geological Society of America (Fellow) Archaeological Inst. of America
American Geophysical Union American School of Classical Studies at Athens
International Assoc. of Sedimentologists British School of Archaeology in Athens
Society for Sedimentary Geology Society for Hawaiian Archaeology
National Assoc. of Geoscience Teachers Sigma Xi (Scientific and Engineering Honorary)
American Assoc. Advancement of Science Tsunami Society International
Fulbright Association
International Geological Correlation Program, Project 511: Submarine Mass Movements and their Consequences
International Geological Correlation Program, Project 567: Earthquake Archaeology
International Geological Correlation Program, Project 585: Earth's Cont. Margins: Assessing Geol. Hazards from Sub. Landslides

Past Affiliations/Honors/Awards

Fulbright Senior Scholar to Greece (2007-2008)
Alexander Onassis Senior Fellow (Athens, Greece; 2008)
Visiting Research Professor, Weiner Lab., American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Athens, Greece (2008)
Malcolm H. Wiener Professor, Wiener Lab., American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Athens, Greece (2007-2008)
Senior Research Associate, Wiener Lab., American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Athens, Greece (1999-2000)
Fellow, Geological Society of America (2000-present)
Affiliate Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Geological (now Earth) Observatory of Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (1986-1990)
Short-term Visiting Fellow, Smithsonian Inst., Washington, DC (1990)
Curator and Director, Core Lab., Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (1974-1986)
Visiting Researcher, Universita deglia Studia di Milano, Milano, Italy (1988-1989)
Editor, Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX (1988-1989)
Sedimentologist, Deep-Sea Drilling Program, Scripps Inst. Oceanography, La Jolla, CA (1973)
Reader, Marine Biological Lab., Woods Hole, MA (intermittent 1984-1996)
Visiting Researcher/Graduate Fellow/Assistant Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., Woods Hole, MA (1966-1974)
Post Doctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Inst., Washington, DC (1973-1974)
Junior Geophysicist, Hawaiʻi Inst. Geophysics, Univ. Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (1965-1966)

Military Service

U.S. Navy 1954-1959 (Veteran - Korea and Formosa Straits Crisis)
U.S. Naval Reserve 1953-1960

Graduate Student Committees

Lamont-Doherty Geological (now Earth) Observatory/Columbia Univ. [PhD. examining committee, 1982]: Daniel Fornari
Univ. of Aarhus (Denmark) [PhD. committee, 1999]: Tom Pfeiffer (Volcanology)
Univ. of Hawaiʻi [PhD. committee, 2009]: Wendy McElroy (Archaeology/Anthropology)
Univ. of Hawaiʻi [PhD. Committee, 2011]: Ben Richards (Marine Biology)

Current Research Interests

Mediterranean:

development of geoarchaeology as a scientific multi-disciplinary field of study

volcanology and regional effects of the Late Bronze Age eruption of Thera (Greece) in the eastern Mediterranean region

paleoclimate of the eastern Mediterranean region

sedimentology of tsunami deposits (Greece, Italy, Turkey)

marine geological, geophysical and archaeological surveys of the Aegean and Mediterranean sea-floor

Hawaii

sedimentology of tsunami deposits

production of hyaloclastites (black sand) by active lava flow entry into the ocean

geoarchaeological and geophysical surveys

Past Research Experience and Interests

on land:

geophysical & geological surveys in Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Society Is., Fiji, Samoa, and Greece

volcanology of the islands of Ta'u, Ofu and Olosega (Manu'a Group. Samoa), as well as the Hawaiian Islands

at sea:

numerous oceanographic cruises, as chief scientist and scientist, in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and in the

Mediterranean, Red, Aegean and Caribbean Seas, on ships from the U.S. (Chain, Atlantis II, Alvin, Knorr, Vema, Eastward,

Spencer F. Baird, Argo, Moana Wave, Territu), Italy (Bannock), Israel (Shikmona), Greece (Aegeio)

two cruises, Deep-Sea Drilling Project (Glomar Challenger), Legs 39 & 47

two cruises, Ocean Drilling Program (Resolution SEDCO BP 471), Legs 107 & 125

Persian Shipwreck Survey (Aegean Sea, 2005, 2006);

Danaos Project (Shipwreck surveys, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, 2007, 2008)

Media Coverage of Research Programs

Television Productions (listed alphabetically; date is when program was broadcast):
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, London) - "Ancient Apocalypse"(1998)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, Bristol)) - "Moses, the Exodus and the Eruption of Thera" (2000)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, Belfast) - "Atlantis, The Evidence" (2011)
Discovery - "The Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece" (2004)
History Channel - "Lost Worlds - Atlantis" (2006)
History Channel - "Inside the Volcano" (2007)
Learning Channel (TLC)/Archaeology Magazine - "The Lost Aegean" (1993
National Broadcasting Company (NBC) - "Atlantis" (1994)
National Geographic - "Is it Real? - Atlantis" (1998)
National Geographic - "Mysteries of the Bible: Exodus Revealed" (2001)
National Geographic - "Mega Volcano" (2006)
National Network of Norway - "The Eruption of Thera" (1995)
NOVA, WGBH - "Tsunami" (2007)
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) - (untitled, in production, 2010)

Television/Film Consulting

British Broadcasting Corporation (Manchester, 2002)
Pioneer TV Productions for History Channel (2002)
IMAX , McGillivray Productions (2005-2006)
National Geographic TV and Film (2006)
British Broadcasting Corporation (Belfast, 2009)
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF, Berlin) - 2010

Radio:
KHPR (Public Radio Hawaii, 2009) - Morning Edition

Magazines & Newspapers (listed chronologically):

National Geographic (December, 1982) Science (2005)
National Geographic World (October, 1983) Akoue (ASCSA, Athens, 2005)
Athenian (November, 1989) New Scientist (2005)
Archaeology (May/June, 1990) San Diego Union (Feb., 2006)
Earthwatch (March/April, 1992) Descopera (Romania, 2006)
Vogue (June, 1994) Mid-Pacific (May, 2006)
Technology Review (MIT) (February/March, 1994)
(Attica, Greece, 2008)

Islands (July/August, 1994) AthensPlus (2008)
POB (Point of Beginning - Surveying) (September, 1996) New York Times, Science Times (Nov., 2009)
National Geographic (July, 2000) New York Times wire service (2009)
New York Times, Science Times (Oct., 2003) Science News (2010)*
New York Times wire service (Oct., 2003) Times (London, 2010)*
Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Oct., 2003) National Geographic Magazine (2010)*
International Herald Tribune (Oct., 2003) New York Times, Science Times (2010)*
Ta Nea [Athens, Greece] (June, 2003) Haaretz (Tel Aviv, 2010)*
Politika [Copenhagen] (Nov. 2003) Arqueologia (Italy, 2010)*
Archaeology (Apr./May & May/June, 2010)*
Akoue (ASCSA, Athens, 2010)*
Malamalama (Summer, 2007, 2009)
* publicity resulting from Plakias/Preveli Stone Tool Project.

Professional/Community Relationships/Honors (partial listing)

Additional Scientific Endeavours (recent only)

Advisor: Post-doctoral Fellow, Wiener Laboratory of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, computer modeling of the Late Bronze Age eruption of Santorini (Thera).
Reviewer, proposals for scientific research (National Science Foundation; Marsden Fund [NZ]; U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation; Binational Science Foundation [Israel]).
Reviewer, various peer-reviewed scientific journals (Geoarchaeology, Quaternary Science Reviews, Journal of Volcanology, Marine Geology, Aegean Archaeology; Journal of Volcnology and Geothermal Research).
Invited Participation to/for: Chapter on the geology of Greek Islands (Univ. Calif. Press, Encyclopedia of Islands);
Invited writer, Geology of Kauai, Lonely Planet Guidebook.
Invited American Representative, External Review Committee, Department of Geology, University of Thessaloniki (Greece).

Publications

Peer-reviewed scientific papers, abstracts and book reviews (recent only):

Strasser, T., Runnels, C., Wegmann, K., Panagopoulou, E., McCoy, F., Karkanas, P., Thompson, N., and diGregorio, C., 2011. Dating Lower Palaeolithic Sites in Southwestern Crete, Greece; Journal of Quaternary Science, doi: 10.1002/jqs,1482.

Novikova, T., Papadopoulos, G. and McCoy, F.W., in press, Modeling of tsunami generated during the "Minoan" eruption of Thera and evaluation of nearshore wave amplitudes and run-up along coastal areas of the southern Aegean Sea; Geophysics Jour. International.

Strasser, T., Runnels, C., Panagopoulou, E., Thompson, N., Wegmann, K.W., and McCoy, F.W., 2010, Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Crete: The Results of the Plakias Survey; Hesperia, v. 79 (2): 145-190.

McCoy, F.W., 2009, The Eruption in the Debate About the Date; in: Warburton, D.A., Ed., Time's Up! Dating the Minoan Eruption of Santorini [Acts of the Minoan Eruption Chronology Workshop, Sandbjerg, Denamrk, Nov. 2007]; Monographs, Danish Inst. Athens, v. 10: 73-90.

Goodman-Tchernov, B.N., Dey, H.W., Reinhardt, E.G., McCoy, F. and Mart, Y., 2009, Tsunami waves generated by the Santorini eruption reached Eastern Mediterranean shores; Geology, v. 37 (1): 943-946.

Smith, C., Sakellariou, D., McCoy, F. and Wachsmann, S., 2009, Deep-Water Corals South of Crete; 9? - [Proceedings of the 9th Hellenic Symposium on Oceanography & Fisheries], Patras, Greece: 665-668.

Tyree, L., McCoy, F.W., Kanta, A., Sphakianakis, D., Stamos, A., Aretaki, K., and Kamilaki. E., 2009, Inferences for use of Skoteino Cave during the Bronze Age and later based on a Speleological and Environmental study at Skoteino Cave, Crete; Aegean Archaeology, 8: 51-63.

McCoy, F.W., 2008, Book Review: Cultural Responses to the Volcanic Landscape, The Mediterranean and Beyond; Am. Journal Arch., v. 121 (1) [online].

Tyree, L., Alexakis, A., Aretaki, K., Frey, J., Kamilaki, E., Kanta, A., McCoy, F.W., Sphakianakis, D. and Stamos. A., 2008, 3D Imaging and Environmental Studies at Skoteino Cave [abst.]; 4th Pan-Cretan Speleological Symposium, Zoniana, Crete.

McCoy, F.W., 2007, Book Review: Hawaiian Volcanoes; Hawaiian Journal of History, v. 41: 188-190.

McCoy, F.W., 2007, Reconstructing a Lost Island - Thera before the Late Bronze Age Eruption; in, Papamarinopoulos, S., editor, The Atlantis Hypothesis: Searching for a Lost Land, Heliotopos, Athens: 309-326.

McCoy, F.W., 2007, Precursor to the Debate: The Eruption [abst.]; Archaeology, History & Natural Science: The Historical Consequences of the Minoan Santorini Eruption; Aarhus Univ., Aarhus/Sondeborg: 7-8.

McCoy, F.W., Novikova, T. and Papadopoulos, G.A., 2007, Volcanism and Tsunami [abst.], Geoitalia 2007, Remini, Italy.

McCoy, F.W., 2007, The Volcano 3600 Years Ago (); Santorini Guidebook, Heliotopos, Athens: 44-46.

McCoy, F. W. and Maynard, S., 2003, Geoscience Partnerships for Undergraduate Students in the Pacific - The Marine Option Program at the University of Hawaiʻi [abst.]; Geological Society of America, Programs with Abstracts, v. 34 (6): 524.

McCoy, F. W. and Dunn, S., 2002, Modelling the Climatic Effects of the LBA Eruption of Thera: New Calculations of Tephra Volumes May Suggest a Significantly Larger Eruption than Previously Reported [abst.]; Proceedings of the Chapman Conference on Volcanism and the Earth's Atmosphere, Am. Geophysical Union, Santorini, Greece: 21-22.

McCoy, F.W. and Papadopoulos, G.A., 2001, Tsunami Generated during the Late Bronze Age Eruption of Thera: Evidence from Tsunami Deposits on Thera, Crete, W. Turkey, and the Deep Sea; [abst.]; American Journal of Archaeology, v. 105: 258-259.

McCoy, F. W. and Heiken, G., 2000, Introduction, in, McCoy, F. W. and Heiken, G., editors, Volcanic Hazards and Disasters in Human Antiquity, Geological Society of America, Special Paper No. 345: v-vi.

McCoy, F. W. and Heiken, G., 2000, The Late Bronze Age Explosive Eruption of Thera (Santorini), Greece: Regional and Local Effects, in, McCoy, F. W. and Heiken, G., editors, Volcanic Hazards and Disasters in Human Antiquity, Geological Society of America, Special Paper No. 345: 43-70.
McCoy, F. W. and Heiken, G., 2000, Tsunami Generated by the Late Bronze Age Eruption of Thera (Santorini), Greece; Pure and Applied Geophysics, v.157:1227-1256.

McCoy, F.W., Synolakis, C. and Papadopoulos, G. 2000, Tsunami Generated by the LBA Eruption of Thera - Evidence from Modelling and Sedimentary Deposits [abst.]; EOS Transactions, Am. Geophysical Union v. 81 (48): F1224.

scientific maps (complete listing)

McCoy, F.W., 2001, Seafloor Sediment: Geologic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region, Pacific Basin Sheet (1:17,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1991, Surface Sediments; in, Hayes, D.E., A Marine Geophysical Atlas of the Circum-Antarctic to 30o S (1:11,674,000), Am. Geophysical Union.

McCoy, F.W., 1986, Reconstructions of the North Atlantic from Triassic to Late Cretaceous; with Tucholke, B., et al., in, Palmer, P., ed., Decade of North American Geology, vol. M, The Geology of North America &North Atlantic.

McCoy, F.W., 1986, Reconstructions of the North Atlantic from Late Cretaceous to Holocene; with Tucholke, B., et al., in, Palmer, P., ed., Decade of North American Geology, vol. M, The Geology of North America & North Atlantic.

McCoy, F.W., 1986, Seafloor Sediment, with Johnson, R.W., et al., Geologic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region, Southwest Quadrant (1:10,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1986, Seafloor Sediment, with Corvalan, J., et al., Geologic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region, Southeast Quadrant (1:10,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1985, Manganese Nodules, Seafloor Sediment, and Sedimentation Rates of the Circum-Pacific Region; with Piper, D.Z, et al., (1:17,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1983, Seafloor Sediment, with Drummond, K.J., et al., Geologic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region, Northeast Quadrant (1:10,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1983, Seafloor Sediment, with Drummond, K.J., et al., Geologic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region, Northwest Quadrant (1:10,000,000); Circum-Pacific Map Council, U.S. Geological Survey.

McCoy, F.W., 1978, Ocean Floor Sediment and Polymetallic Nodules, with Rawson, M.D. and Ryan, W.B.F., et al., (1:23,230,300).; U.S. Dept. of State/Lamont-Doherty Geol. Obs.

Trade books (complete listing)

Rich-McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1985, The Bytes Brothers Goto a Getaway; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

Rich-McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1985, The Bytes Brothers Enter the Evidence; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1984, The Bytes Brothers Program a Problem; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1984, The Bytes Brothers Input and Investigation; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

Rich-McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1984, The Bytes Brothers Compute a Clue; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

Rich-McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1984, The Bytes Brothers Record a Wrongdoing; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London

Rich-McCoy, L. and McCoy, F.W., 1984, The Bytes Brothers Record a Robbery; Bantam Books, N.Y. & Armada Press, London