• April 2022 – Sept. 2022  Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• July 2015-June 2018: Chair, Department of Earth Sciences
• July 2013 – May 2014: Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs, Faculty of Mathematics and Science
• April 2013-June 2013: Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies, Faculty of Mathematics and Science
• February 2010-December 2011: Interim Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University.
• September 2007-February 2010: Associate Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University.
• June 2001–June 2003: Vice Chair, Senate, Brock University.
• June 1996-98 Director, Environmental Science Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University.
• June 1996–June 1997: Vice Chair, Senate, Brock University.
• July 1996–July 1997: Acting Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University.
• 1995–1996: Chair, Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University.
• 1994 to present: Professor of Earth Sciences, Brock University.
• July 1994–December 1994: Acting Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University.
• 1991–1994: Chair, Department of Geological Sciences/Earth Sciences, Brock University
• 1990–1994: Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences/Earth Sciences, Brock University.
• 1986–1990: Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Brock University
• 1984-1986: Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, Brandon University
• 1983–1984: Lecturer, Department of Geology, Brandon University.

• Ph.D. McMaster University, 1984
• M.Sc. University of Ottawa, 1980
• B.A. McMaster University, 1977

Internal Activities

• Associate Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science.

International committees and editorial boards

• Member of the Editorial Board for Sedimentology (the journal of the International Association of Sedimentologists), 1999-2001.
• Invited contributor of terms for sedimentary structures and textures to the Glossary of Geology (5 th Edition, 2005) published by the American Geoscience Institute in 2005.

Conferences, symposia and workshops

• Registration Chair, Geological Association of Canada/Mineralogical Association of Canada Annual Meeting, 2004.

• ERSC 1P92 Extreme Earth

• ERSC/GEOG 2P16 Introduction to Clastic Sedimentology

• ERSC 4P10 Advanced Clastic Sedimentology

• ERSC 4P11 Sedimentary Facies Models

• ERSC 5P50 Sedimentary Environments

Research

Rick is currently conducting studies of the formation of current crescents in response to unidirectional flow over obstacles on a sand bed. Using his 10-metre recirculating sediment flume, he is examining the effects of flow depth and velocity and obstacle diameter on the morphology of the resulting current crescents.

Graduate Student Supervision

• Michael Meyers, BSc. SUNY Geneseo, 1975. Thesis: Flow regime prediction via Froude number calculation in a rock-bedded stream. Completed 2010. Note: I took over supervision from Keith Tinkler after completion of the first draft of the thesis.
• Melissa Barnard, BSc/BEd Brock University 2006. Thesis: Impact of considering the effects of latent heat on caldera-hosted hydrothermal systems. Completed 2010. Note: I was internal supervisor but Steven Cook was external supervisor providing the bulk of supervision.
• Michael Johnson, BSc Brock University, 1995. Thesis: The sedimentology of the Silurian Whirlpool Formation, in subsurface, southern Ontario, Canada. Completed 1998.
• Sean McFarland, BSc University of Toronto, 1984. Thesis: The sedimentology and taphonomy of the Ordovician Verulam Formation, southern Ontario, Canada. Completed 1997. Winner of the Ontario Petroleum Institute’s “Best MSc Thesis” Award for 1997.
• Anthony Benincasa, BSc Waterloo University, 1978. Thesis: The sedimentology of the Grimsby Formation in subsurface, southern Ontario, Canada. Completed 1996. Winner of the Ontario Petroleum Institute’s “Best MSc Thesis” Award for 1996.
• Jens Paterson. BSc Queens University, 1993. Thesis: The sedimentology of an element of the Oak Ridges Moraine, southern Ontario, Canada. Completed 1995.

Refereed Articles (Journals and books)

• Cheel, R.J., 2003, Hummocky Cross-Stratification. Invited contribution to The Encyclopedia of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks, G.V. Middleton, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 362-364.
• Cheel, R.J., 2003, Heavy Mineral Shadows. Invited contribution to The Encyclopedia of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks, G.V. Middleton, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 355-356.
• Cheel, R.J., 2003, Parting lineation and current crescents. In The Encyclopedia of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks, G.V. Middleton, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 512-514.
• Alexander J., J.S. Bridge, J. Cheel, and S.F. LeClair, 2001, Bedforms and associated sedimentary structures formed under supercritical water flows over aggrading sand beds. Sedimentology, 48: 133-152..
• McFarland S., Westrop S.R. and J. Cheel. 1999. Allogenic versus autogenic processes in the genesis of Middle Ordovician Brachiopod-rich shell beds, Verulam Formation, Ontario. Palaios, 14: 282-287.
• Paterson, J. and Cheel, R.J., 1997, The depositional history of the Bloomington complex, an ice-contact deposit in the Oak Ridges Moraine, southern Ontario, Canada: Quaternary Science Reviews, 16: p. 705-719.
• Leckie, D.A., and Cheel, R.J., 1997, Sedimentology and depositional history of the Lower Cretaceous Coarse-grained clastics, southwest Alberta and southeast British Columbia: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, v. 45, p. 1-24.
• Cheel, R.J. and Middleton, G.V., 1993, Directional scours on a transgressive surface: examples from the Silurian Whirlpool Formation of Southern Ontario, Canada: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 63, p. 392-397.
• Cheel, R.J., and D.A. Leckie, 1993, Hummocky cross-stratification: Sedimentology Reviews, v. 1. p. 103-121.
• Cheel, R.J., and D.A. Leckie, 1992, Coarse-grained storm beds of the Upper Cretaceous Chungo Member (Wapiabi Formation), southern Alberta, Canada: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 62, p. 933-945.
• Cheel, R.J., 1991, Grain fabric in hummocky cross-stratified storm beds: genetic implications: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 61, p. 102-110.
• Duke, W.A., Arnott, W., and Cheel, R.J., 1991, Shelf sandstones and hummocky cross- stratification: New insights on a stormy debate: Geology, v. 19, p. 625-628.
• Cheel, R.J., 1990, Horizontal lamination and the sequence of bed phases and stratification under upper flow regime conditions: Sedimentology, v. 37, p. 517-530.
• Cheel, R.J., 1990, Flow, sediment transport and bedform dynamics over the transition from dunes to upper-stage plane beds: implications for the formation of planar laminae: Discussion of paper by J.R. Bridge and J. Best. Sedimentology, v. 37, p. 549-551.
• Cheel, R.J. and Leckie, D.A., 1990, A tidal-inlet complex in the Cretaceous epeiric sea of North America: Virgelle Member, Milk River Formation, southern Alberta, Canada. Sedimentology, v. 37, p. 67-81.
• Leckie, D.A. and J. Cheel, 1990, Nodular silcretes of the Cypress Hills Formation (U. Eocene to M. Miocene) of southern Saskatchewan, Canada: Sedimentology, v. 37, p. 445- 454.
• Leckie, D.A. and J. Cheel, 1989, Sedimentology of the Cypress Hills Formation (U. Eocene to Miocene): a semi-arid braidplain deposit: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 26, p. 1918-1931.
• Cheel, R.J. and G.V. Middleton, 1987, Horizontal lamination formed under upper flow regime plane bed conditions: Reply to discussion by J.R. Bridge: Journal of Geology, v.95, p. 282.
• Cheel, R.J. and G.V. Middleton, 1986, Horizontal lamination formed under upper flow regime plane bed conditions: Journal of Geology, v. 94, p. 489-504.
• Cheel, R.J. and G.V. Middleton, 1986, Measurement of small-scale textural laminae in sand-sized sediments: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 56, p. 547-548.
• Cheel, R.J. and B.R. Rust, 1986, A sequence of soft-sediment deformation (dewatering) structures in Late Quaternary subaqueous outwash near Ottawa, Canada: Sedimentary Geology, v. 47, p. 77-93.
• Cheel, R.J., 1984, Heavy mineral shadows, a new sedimentary structure formed under upper flow regime conditions: its directional and hydraulic significance: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 54, p. 1173-1180.
• Cheel, R.J., 1982, The depositional history of an esker near Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 19, p. 1417-1427.
• Cheel, R.J. and B.R. Rust, 1982, Coarse-grained facies of glaciomarine deposits near Ottawa, Canada: In R. Davidson-Arnott, W. Nickling and B.D. Fahey, editors, Research in Glacial, Glaciofluvial and Glaciolacustrine Systems, Proceedings of the 6th Guelph Symposium on Geomorphology, 1980, p. 279-292.

Refereed Articles (Guidebooks, etc.)

• Cheel, R.J. (Editor), 1991, Sedimentology and Depositional Environments of Ordovician and Silurian Strata of the Niagara Escarpment, Ontario and New York. Geological Association of Canada, Annual Meeting, Toronto, 1991. Guidebook to Field Trip B4, 99 pp.
• Brett, C.E., R.J. Cheel, W.L. Duke, W.M. Goodman, S.T. LoDuca G.V. Middleton, B.R. Pratt, M.A. Rutka and C.J. Salas, 1991, Field Stop Descriptions. In: Sedimentology and Depositional Environments of Ordovician and Silurian Strata of the Niagara Escarpment, Ontario and New York. Edited by J. Cheel. Geological Association of Canada, Annual Meeting, Toronto, 1991. Guidebook to Field Trip B4, p. 64-99.
• Rutka, M.A., Cheel, R.J., Middleton G.V., and Salas, C.J., 1991, The Silurian Whirlpool Sandstone. In: Sedimentology and Depositional Environments of Ordovician and Silurian Strata of the Niagara Escarpment, Ontario and New York. Edited by J. Cheel.
• Geological Association of Canada, Annual Meeting, Toronto, 1991. Guidebook to Field Trip B4, p. 27-34.
• Leckie, D.A. and J. Cheel, 1986, Tidal channel facies of the Virgelle Member (Cretaceous Milk River Formation), southern Alberta, Canada: Current Research, Part B, Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 86-1B, p. 637-645.

Non-refereed Publications

• Ahmed, S.E. and R.J. Cheel, 2015. Environment, Energy and Commercial Civilization: Statistical Challenges and Opportunities. International Conference for Energy, Environment and Commercial Civilization, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Oct. 22- 25, 2015.
• Cheel, Richard J., 2007. Global Warming Alert. Crabtree Publishing Company, 32 pages (a book for grades 4 to 6; a part of Crabtree’s Disaster Alert series).
• Benincasa, A.J. and J. Cheel, 1998, Sedimentology and stratigraphy of the Lower Silurian Grimsby Formation, in subsurface, Lake Erie and southwestern Ontario. Ontario Petroleum Institute Journal, v. 36.
• McFarland, S., Cheel, R.J., and Westrop, S.R., 1998, Sedimentology of storm-generated shell beds from the Verulam Formation (Middle Ordovician) at Lakefield and Gamesbridge quarries, southern Ontario, Canada. Ontario Petroleum Institute Journal, v. 36.
• Cheel, R.J., Rutka, M.A., and Middleton, G.V., 1995, The sedimentology of the Lower Silurian Whirlpool Sandstone: in outcrop and subsurface, southern, Ontario. Ontario Petroleum Institute Journal, v. 33, 19 p.
• Leckie, D.A., Cheel, R.J. and Rosenthal, L., 1989, Sedimentology of the upper Virgelle Member (Upper Cretaceous Milk River Formation), Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Alberta, and the southern Alberta transect: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Second International Research Symposium on Clastic Tidal Deposits, Calgary, Alberta, 49 p.

Published Refereed Conference Proceedings

• Birnie X., F. Fueten, R. Stesky, Cheel, A. P. Rossi 2012, Lithified Aeolian Bedforms as Evidence for Ancient Water Circulation in West Candor Chasma, Mars. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2012), 1292.pdf, 2p.
• Cheel, R.J. and Udri, A.,1996 The behavior, internal stratification and fabric of in-phase waves. Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section Annual Meeting, Buffalo, New York, Abstracts with program.
• Cheel, R.J. and Leckie, D.A., 1991, Conglomeratic storm beds: their characteristics and paleoprocess interpretation: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 16, p. A22.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1989, Cypress Hills Formation (Oligocene) of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 14, p. 113.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1988, Cypress Hills Formation (Oligocene) of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada: deposits of a semi-arid alluvial fan: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Fifth Midyear Meeting, Abstracts with program, p. 10.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1987, Evidence for tides in the western interior basin: a case study from the Milk River Formation (U. Cretaceous) of southern Alberta: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 12, p. 31.
• Cheel, R.J., 1984, Horizontal laminae formed by deposition under upper flow regime plane bed conditions: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 9, p. 52.
• Cheel, R.J., 1982, Heavy mineral accumulations under upper flow regime conditions: directional and hydraulic significance: International Association of Sedimentologists Eleventh International Congress, Abstracts, p. 158.
• Cheel, R.J. and B.R. Rust, 1980, A sequence of soft-sediment deformation structures in Late Quaternary subaqueous outwash near Ottawa, Ontario: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 5, p. 45.
• Leckie, D.A., and J. Cheel, 1990, A tidal inlet complex in the Cretaceous Epeiric sea of North America: Virgelle Member, Milk River Formation, southern Alberta: in Tidal inlet and related sand bodies, Modern and Ancient, SEPM Research Conference, San Juan Basin, New Mexico, Technical Program., p. 28-29.
• Leckie, D.A., and Cheel, R.J., 1990, A new interpretation for the Oligocene Cypress Hills Formation, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, “Best of the CSPG Sedimentary Subdivision Session”, May, 1990.
• Leckie, D.A. and J. Cheel, 1986, Tidal channel facies of the Virgelle Member (Cretaceous Milk River Formation), southern Alberta, Canada: International Association of Sedimentologists Twelfth International Congress, Abstracts, p. 177.
• Meiher Drees, N.C., Leckie, D.A., and J. Cheel, 1987, Sedimentology of tidally influenced shoreline sandstones and offshore, sandy shales; Upper Cretaceous Milk River and Lea Park formations, southern Alberta, Canada: Symposium on Coastal Lowlands: Geology and Geotechnology, The Hague, Netherlands, p. 151.
• Meiher Drees, N.C., Leckie, D.A., and R.J. Cheel, 1989, Sedimentology of the Upper Cretaceous Milk River and Lea Park Formations in southern Alberta: Forum ’89, Geological Survey of Canada, Oil and Gas Activities in Canada, Program and Abstracts, p. 58
• Meiher Drees, N.C., Leckie, D.A., and J. Cheel, 1989, Sedimentology of the Upper Cretaceous Milk River and Lea Park Formations in southern Alberta: Second International Research Symposium on Clastic Tidal Deposits, Program and abstracts, p. 61.
• Peralta, J., F. Fueten, Cheel, R. Stesky J. Flahaut, E. Hauber, 2015. Layer Attitude and Thickness Measurements in Western Portion of the Ophir Chasma Interior Layered Deposit, Valles Marineris, Mars. 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2015), 1153.pdf, 2 p.

Book Review

• Cheel, R.J., 1991, Review of “Physical principles of Sedimentology” by K.J. Hsu, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, p. 493.

Theses

• Cheel, R.J., 1984, Sediment transport and deposition under upper flow regime plane bed conditions: Ph.D. Thesis, McMaster University. Supervised by G.V. Middleton.
• Cheel, R.J., 1980, Late Quaternary glaciomarine deposits of the Stittsville area, near Ottawa, Canada: M.Sc. Thesis, University of Ottawa. Supervised by B.R. Rust.

University publications

• Cheel, R.J., 2024, Introduction to Clastic Sedimentology: ERSC 2P16 Course Notes. Brock University, 133 pp.
• Cheel, R.J., 1990, Grain fabric in hummocky cross-stratified storm beds: genetic implications: Studies in Sedimentary Processes No. 5, Brock University Department of Geological Sciences Research Report Series No. 29, 11 pp.
• Cheel, R.J., 1989, Horizontal lamination and the sequence of bed phases under upper flow regime conditions: Studies in Sedimentary Processes No. 4, Brock University Department of Geological Sciences Research Report Series No. 28, 17 pp.

Papers presented at conferences

• Ahmed, S.E. and J. Cheel, 2016, Science Education: Preparing a new generation for an exciting (and challenging) future). The 10th International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management, Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2016.
• Cheel, R.J. and Udri, A., 1996,The behavior, internal stratification and fabric of in-phase waves. Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section Annual Meeting, Buffalo, New York, March 22, 1996.
• Cheel, R.J., Rutka, M.A., and Middleton, G.V., 1994, The sedimentology of the Lower Silurian Whirlpool Sandstone: in outcrop and subsurface, southern, Ontario. Ontario Petroleum Institute Annual Meeting. Niagara Falls, Ontario, October, 1994.
• Cheel, R.J. and Middleton, G.V., 1990, Scours on a transgressive surface of the Silurian Whirlpool Formation in southern Ontario, Canadian Sedimentology Research Group Annual Regional Meeting, St. Catharines, May, 1990.
• Cheel, R.J., 1989, Fabric and Grading in hummocky cross-stratified sandstones: genetic implications. Canadian Sedimentology Research Group Regional Meeting, Ottawa, May, 1989.
• Cheel, R.J., 1989, Horizontal lamination and the sequence of bedforms and stratification under upper flow regime conditions. Canadian Sedimentology Research Group Regional Meeting, Ottawa, May, 1989.
• Cheel, R.J., 1988, The depositional history of the Oligocene Cypress Hills Formation, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan: Canadian Sedimentological Research Group, Second Annual Regional Meeting (Central Canada), Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, May 15.
• Cheel, R.J., 1984, Horizontal laminae formed by deposition under upper flow regime plane bed conditions: Geological Association of Canada, May, 1984.
• Cheel, R.J., 1982, Heavy mineral accumulations under upper flow regime conditions: directional and hydraulic significance: International Association of Sedimentologists Eleventh International Congress, August, 1982.
• Cheel, R.J. and Leckie, D.A., 1991, Conglomeratic storm beds: their characteristics and paleoprocess interpretation: Geological Association of Canada, Abstracts with program, v. 16, p. A22.
• Cheel, R.J. and B.R. Rust, 1980, Coarse-grained facies of glaciomarine deposits near Ottawa, Canada: Research in Glacial, Glaciofluvial and Glaciolacustrine Systems, The 6th Guelph Symposium on Geomorphology, May, 1980.
• Cheel, R.J. and B.R. Rust, 1980, A sequence of soft-sediment deformation structures in Late Quaternary subaqueous outwash near Ottawa, Ontario: Geological Association of Canada, Halifax, May, 1980.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1989, Cypress Hills Formation (Oligocene) of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada: Geological Association of Canada, Montreal, May, 1989.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1988, Cypress Hills Formation (Oligocene) of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada: deposits of a semi-arid alluvial fan: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Fifth Midyear Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, 1988.
• Cheel, R.J. and D.A. Leckie, 1987, Evidence for tides in the western interior basin: a case study from the Milk River Formation (U. Cretaceous) of southern Alberta: Geological Association of Canada, Saskatoon, 1987.
• Leckie, D.A., and J. Cheel, 1990, A tidal inlet complex in the Cretaceous Epeiric sea of North America: Virgelle Member, Milk River Formation, southern Alberta: in Tidal inlet and related sand bodies, Modern and Ancient, SEPM Research Conference, San Juan Basin, New Mexico.
• Leckie, D.A. and J. Cheel, 1986, Tidal channel facies of the Virgelle Member (Cretaceous Milk River Formation), southern Alberta, Canada: International Association of Sedimentologists Twelfth International Congress, Australia, August, 1986.
• Meiher Drees, N.C., Leckie, D.A., and J. Cheel, 1987, Sedimentology of tidally influenced shoreline sandstones and offshore, sandy shales; Upper Cretaceous Milk River and Lea Park formations, southern Alberta, Canada: Symposium on Coastal Lowlands: Geology and Geotechnology, The Hague, Netherlands.