Dr. McCarthy is a clastic sedimentologist and paleopedologist. His major research interests lie in paleolandscape evolution, alluvial architecture, nonmarine sequence stratigraphy,and paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction. He is particularly interested in using paleosols for paleoenvironmental, paleoclimatic and paleogeographic reconstructions of ancient floodplains and coastal plains. His research has focused on the use of paleopedological techniques, together with traditional sedimentology and stratigraphy, to identify and map interfluves associated with incised valleys and to interpret changing rates of alluvial accommodation in fine- grained sedimentary rocks. This work has led to new insights on the application of sequence stratigraphy in nonmarine environments. His recent research focuses on paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretations of paleo-Arctic dinosaur-bearing units in Alaska.  Dr. McCarthy works primarily in Cretaceous rock units in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, and on the North Slope and Alaska Range in Alaska.