Dr. James Miller may no longer be a professor at Missouri State University, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still teaching — and learning.  

Miller, emeritus professor of geology, was invited to speak about his research at the International Conference on Ediacaran and Cambrian Sciences in Xi’an, China, Aug. 12-16. 

More than 200 people attended from 15 countries.  

About Miller’s research 

Miller is part of a 17-person research group, the International Committee on Cambrian Stage 10.  

This committee will recommend how to define the base of the highest division of the Cambrian Period. Miller is one of two members from the United States. 

He was chosen for the committee based on the number of papers he’s published on Cambrian fossils and strata in locations the committee is considering. 

Of all the possible places, the committee has narrowed the possibilities to two: western Utah and southern China. Miller proposed the Utah site.  

About the trip 

Miller presented on his proposal of the western Utah boundary. Dr. Kevin Evans, professor of geology at Missouri State, was one of the co-authors.  

Miller also put up a poster presentation for colleagues from University of Central Missouri and Indiana University of Pennsylvania because they could not make the trip.  

“The most interesting part of the conference for me was seeing the presentations on so many unusual fossils found in strata of the Ediacaran Period and how these fossils document the early evolutionary history of life,” Miller said. 

He also traveled to different places in China, including the Terra Cotta Warriors.