Francis Macdonald's research focuses on the interactions of tectonics, climate, and biological evolution through Earth history. This work begins with geological mapping, and uses stratigraphic analysis, isotope geochemistry, geochronology, paleomagnetism, and paleontology to reconstruct paleoenvironments and tectonic histories. Recent projects have focused on the initiation and duration of Snowball Earth events, the chemical evolution of the ocean leading up to the Cambrian explosion, and the Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic tectonic evolution of North America and Asia. Macdonald was awarded the Geological Society of America Young Scientist Award (Donath Medal) in 2014 and the Star Family Prize for Excellence in Advising in 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in Geology from Harvard University and a B.S. in Geology from Caltech.