Paul was conceived, born, raised, and educated in the geology and landscapes of Newfoundland & Labrador. As a professional geologist, Paul has already had a diverse career in geological research, mineral exploration, public service, and public education. He is the former Executive Director of the Johnson GEO CENTRE, a world-class geological interpretation centre in St. John’s, focusing on the geological wonders of Newfoundland and Labrador. In his twenty-five years in the public service, Paul served as the Assistant Deputy Minister of Mines and Deputy Minister of Environment and Conservation.
Paul Dean is also a writer, a storyteller, and advocate for the traditional music and songs of Newfoundland & Labrador. He has been a regular performer at the annual March Hare literary festival for the past fifteen years. Some of his stories have been published in the Newfoundland Quarterly and The March Hare Anthology. His first book of stories Come on with the Punt was published by Pedlar Press in 2016. He has strong roots in rural Newfoundland and continues to spend good times in Placentia Bay where he was born, as well as in Trinity Bight and Notre Dame Bay. Most of his stories are based in small communities in these parts of rural Newfoundland.
More recently, Paul is engaged in exploring the links between geology, landscape, and culture. He is equally at ease with friends and colleagues in the geological community and his many friends in the fields of art, culture, and entertainment.
Paul always tries to bring the complexities of geology to life for non-geologists, school children, tourists, community leaders, artists and the general public. He believes that all rocks and landscapes have a story to tell; it is just a matter of asking the right questions and listening very carefully for the answers. Paul says that Newfoundland & Labrador is such an exciting part of the planet to study and view geology because the rocks are continuously exposed along the coastline of the North Atlantic.