Paul F. Karrow

• Quaternary stratigraphy of the last 150,000 years.

• Paleoenvironments based on fossils for interglacial and sub-till organics.

• Geology of urban areas.

• History of the Great Lakes and their glacial lake antecedents

Professor Karrow's research focuses on Quaternary history, for which the fundamental basis is stratigraphy. The glacial sedimentary record provides the essential stratigraphic framework; paleoenvironments of associated interglacial, interstadial, and postglacial sediments are studied through their contained fossils.

Related studies include Great Lakes and sea level history. Applied aspects include mineral resources (water and aggregates), and engineering and urban geology.

Professor Karrow has published more than 285 peer-reviewed papers. Highlighted publications include​

• Dreimanis, A., and Karrow, P. F., 1972. Glacial history in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region ,the classification of the Wisconsin(an) stage, and its correlatives. XXIV International Geological Congress, Montreal. Proceedings, Section 12, p. 5-15.
• Karrow, P. F., Anderson, T. W., Clarke, A. H., Delorme, L. D. , and Sreenivasa, M. R., 1975, Stratigraphy, paleontology, and age of Lake Algonquin  sediments in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Quaternary Research, 5, 49-87.
• Karrow, P. F., and Calkin, P. E., (eds.), 1985. Quaternary Evolution of the Great Lakes, Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 30, 258 p.
• Karrow, P. F., and Occhietti, S. , 1989, Quaternary geology of the St. Lawrence Lowlands; Quaternary geology of Canada and Greenland, R. J. Fulton (ed.), Geological Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. K-1, p. 320-389.
• Karrow, P. F., and White, O. L., (eds.), 1998. Urban Geology of Canadian Cities. Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 42, 500 p. (E. B. Burwell Award, Engineering Geology Division of the Geological Society of America).

• 2012 J. Norman Emerson Silver Medal, Ontario Archaeological Society, 2012.
• 2005, 2001 Nominated for Order of Ontario
• 2004 Geological Association of Canada "Paul F. Karrow Symposium: reviews and reflections on Quaternary Sciences". 2004.
• 2001 Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo
• 1999 E.B. Burwell, Jr., Award (Geological Society of America, EngineeringGeology Division) for Geol. Assoc. Can. Spec. Paper 42 "Urban Geology of Canadian Cities"
• 1995 The Canadian Quaternary Association (CANQUA) W.A. Johnston medal for professional excellence in Quaternary research 
• 1982 University of Waterloo 25th Anniversary Certificate for outstanding contributions to the Science Faculty
• 1956 Shell Oil Fellowship
• 1953 Manley B. Baker Scholarship

• Geological Society of America (Fellow)
• Geological Association of Canada (Fellow)
• Sigma Xi
• American Quaternary Association (AMQUA)
• Canadian Quaternary Association (CANQUA)
• Quaternary Research Association (U.K.)
• Royal Canadian Institute
• Ontario Archaeological Society

1957 PhD University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign, Illinois, USA

1954 BSc Queen's University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta