Jody Bourgeois' main research interests are: environmental and process analysis of clastic sediments and sedimentary rocks; interpretation of sedimentary structures; and tectonics and sedimentation. She also teaches and does research in the history of geology, believing that exploration of the philosophy and methodology that have driven scientific inquiry leads to more fruitful generation and testing of hypotheses, and to more critical analysis of present-day models. Bourgeois also served a two-year stint as a Program Director in the Earth Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation. Bourgeois' own research in sedimentary geology has concentrated on analysis of terrigenous shallow-marine and coastal environments. Her students have worked on sediments ranging from proximal-fluvial to deep-marine environments. Expertise at the University of Washington in sedimentology, surface processes, oceanography, and paleontology/zoology provides excellent opportunities to study and compare modern and ancient sedimentary processes and environments. Critical to these studies is the rigorous analysis of sedimentary structures and textures, incorporating modern concepts of sediment transport and animal-sediment interactions.