James S. Monroe is Professor Emeritus of Geology at Central Michigan University, where he taught Physical Geology, Historical Geology, Prehistoric Life, and Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, and served as chair of the Geology Department. Dr. Monroe earned his Ph.D. from the University of Montana. He has coauthored numerous geology textbooks with Reed Wicander and has interests in Cenozoic geology and geologic education. He now lives in Chico, California where he remains active in geology by teaching courses to large groups of retirees. Reed Wicander is Professor Emeritus of Geology at Central Michigan University, where he taught Physical Geology, Historical Geology, Prehistoric Life, and Invertebrate Paleontology. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Dr. Wicander earned his B.S. degree in geology from San Diego State University and his Ph.D. from UCLA. His main research focuses on various aspects of Paleozoic palynology, specifically the study of acritarchs, a group of organic-walled microphytoplankton, on which he has published many papers. In addition, he has co-authored numerous geology textbooks with James S. Monroe. He is a past president of the American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists � The Palynological Society and the Commission Internationale de la Microflore du Pal�ozo�que, as well as a former councilor of the International Federation of Palynological Societies.