FINNEYGeological Services LLC

Stanley C. Finney, Ph.D.

Senior Scientific
Advisor and Research
Program Consultant

Clear scientific judgment for organizations and research teams, grounded in geoscience expertise, academic leadership, and international collaboration.

Explore advisory services
Tilted sedimentary rock layers on the coast of Spain
THE ROCK RECORD · A PERSPECTIVE THROUGH DEEP TIME
Stanley C. Finney, Ph.D.Paleontologist & stratigrapher
Professor EmeritusCalifornia State University, Long Beach
International scientific leadershipFormer IUGS Secretary General & ICS Chair

Scientific advisory services

Perspective for the science.
Direction for the program.

Project-based advisory support for universities, scientific organizations, government agencies, museums, and environmental firms seeking specialist scientific insight.

Scope tailored to each assignment
01

Scientific organizations

Advice on scientific priorities, committee structures, governance, and organizational planning.

02

Research programs

Support for shaping research questions, evaluating program direction, and connecting scientific goals with practical work plans.

03

Academic governance

External program review and advice on academic planning, departmental leadership, and evidence-based evaluation.

04

International collaboration

Support for scientific partnerships, cross-institutional coordination, and the work of international committees and research networks.

05

Grant strategy

Critical review of research aims, proposal structure, scientific rationale, and how clearly the case for support is presented.

06

Technical review

Independent review, literature synthesis, and technical editing in geology, paleontology, and stratigraphy.

Applied geologic experience

Nevada expertise.
A wider field perspective.

Stanley has consulted on Nevada geology for numerous mineral and oil & gas exploration companies, bringing specialist knowledge of stratigraphy and paleontology to exploration questions.

His geologic projects span the Appalachian Mountains, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Nevada, as well as Bolivia and the Argentine Precordillera.

Explore his experience and publications

Scientific expertise. Leadership perspective.

Stanley C. Finney

Professor Emeritus
California State University, Long Beach

Profile & Publications

Experience across research,
institutions, and borders.

Stanley C. Finney’s research spans paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleogeography. His work includes graptolite paleobiology and biostratigraphy, the Late Ordovician mass extinction, and the geologic histories of Nevada and the Argentine Precordillera.

He served as Secretary General of the International Union of Geological Sciences (2016–2024), Chair of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (2008–2016), and Chair of Geological Sciences at CSULB (1988–2009).

His curriculum vitae also documents external academic program evaluation, research proposal review, and extensive journal and technical review.

Ph.D., Ohio State University · B.S. and M.S., University of California, Riverside

Fossils & geologic time

Graptolites, biostratigraphy, and chronostratigraphy

Rocks & regional history

Stratigraphic records, paleogeography, and tectonic context

Start with the question

What does your
organization need to resolve?

A useful first conversation begins with the scientific or organizational question, the material available, and the decision the work needs to support.

  • Organization, program, and scientific focus
  • Available proposals, reports, or background material
  • Desired outcome and timing

A focused assignment

Define the question.
Identify the evidence.

A clear project brief sets out the scientific question, available material, and desired outcome. Scope, deliverables, and timing are agreed for each engagement.

Professional sources & image credits

Professional background and historical appointments are documented in Stanley’s curriculum vitae and the institutional sources below. University and professional affiliations are presented as background; they do not imply endorsement of the business.

Professional curriculum vitaeCSULB biographyCSULB current directoryICS leadership recordIUGS 2022 annual reportCSULB education record
Photo: Jörg Braukmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped for display. Adapted image available under the same license.