He received his Ph.D. in geology at Syracuse University. His research focuses on late Quaternary paleoclimatology with a specific focus on the late-glacial/Holocene transition and the present Holocene Epoch Lacustrine-based multi-proxy, multi-disciplinary research that incorporates historical records of climate change as a calibration tool for assessing past climate states. His current projects are underway in Lake Elsinore, California, Thailand, Baldwin Lake/Big Bear, California, and with the Southern California Paleo-Flood project. Dr. Kirby and colleague Dr. Brady Rhodes are conducting a pilot study to hunt for geological signs in sediment preserved in Southern California's wetlands to determine the region's tsunami history. Dr. Kirby mentors both graduate and undergraduate students in his very active research laboratory.