Gerard V. Middleton
Encyclopedia
Gerard Viner Gerry Middleton FRSC
(born 1931) is an award winning Canadian
geologist
and university teacher.
Middleton was born in South Africa and educated in England. He obtained his batchelors (1952) and doctorate (1954) degrees from Imperial College, London. He emigrated to Canada in 1954, and taught at McMaster University from 1955 to 1996. Over his career his main fields of research were physical sedimentology
, data analysis
in geology, and the history of geology. He published over 100 papers in scholarly journals, and several books, including Origin of Sedimentary Rocks (1972, second edition 1980; with H. Blatt and R. Murray), Mechanics in the Earth and Environmental Sciences (1994; with P.R. Wilcock), and Data Analysis in the Earth Sciences using MATLAB (2000). He organized the SEPM Research Symposium on Sedimentary Structures in Toronto, (1964) and SEPM’s first Short Course (on turbidites, Anaheim CA, 1973). From 1973 to 1978 he was the founding editor of Geoscience Canada, a magazine published by the Geological Association of Canada.
In sedimentology, his most influential publications were on turbidity currents and their deposits, and on the origin of physical sedimentary structures and textures. He organized the Congress of the International Association of Sedimentologists, held at McMaster in 1982, and attended by 1200 registrants from 42 countries. His last major work was as editor of Enyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks (2003).
Since then, he has published a summary of the history of geology in Canada, and short biographies of Canadian geologists. Another Canadian geologist Joseph William Winthrop Spencer (1851–1921; born in Dundas, ON) was the subject of a more extensive study. He has also published historical studies of geologists elected the Royal Society of Canada during its first fifty years, and the history of the earth sciences during the twentieth century. During the last five years he has studied the source of the stone used for building in nineteenth-century southern Ontario.
He is an emeritus
professor in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at McMaster University
.
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(born 1931) is an award winning Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
geologist
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and university teacher.
Middleton was born in South Africa and educated in England. He obtained his batchelors (1952) and doctorate (1954) degrees from Imperial College, London. He emigrated to Canada in 1954, and taught at McMaster University from 1955 to 1996. Over his career his main fields of research were physical sedimentology
Sedimentology
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud , and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and sedimentary...
, data analysis
Data analysis
Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making...
in geology, and the history of geology. He published over 100 papers in scholarly journals, and several books, including Origin of Sedimentary Rocks (1972, second edition 1980; with H. Blatt and R. Murray), Mechanics in the Earth and Environmental Sciences (1994; with P.R. Wilcock), and Data Analysis in the Earth Sciences using MATLAB (2000). He organized the SEPM Research Symposium on Sedimentary Structures in Toronto, (1964) and SEPM’s first Short Course (on turbidites, Anaheim CA, 1973). From 1973 to 1978 he was the founding editor of Geoscience Canada, a magazine published by the Geological Association of Canada.
In sedimentology, his most influential publications were on turbidity currents and their deposits, and on the origin of physical sedimentary structures and textures. He organized the Congress of the International Association of Sedimentologists, held at McMaster in 1982, and attended by 1200 registrants from 42 countries. His last major work was as editor of Enyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks (2003).
Since then, he has published a summary of the history of geology in Canada, and short biographies of Canadian geologists. Another Canadian geologist Joseph William Winthrop Spencer (1851–1921; born in Dundas, ON) was the subject of a more extensive study. He has also published historical studies of geologists elected the Royal Society of Canada during its first fifty years, and the history of the earth sciences during the twentieth century. During the last five years he has studied the source of the stone used for building in nineteenth-century southern Ontario.
He is an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
professor in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
.
Affiliations
- Canadian Science and Technology Historical Association
- Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (Honorary Member)
- Geological Association of Canada (President, 1987–1988)
- Geological Society of America
- History of Earth Sciences Society
- International Association of Sedimentologists (Honorary Member)
- SEPM, Society for Sedimentary Geology (Honorary Member)
Accolades
- 1970, elected Fellow of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
- 1980, Logan MedalLogan MedalThe Logan Medal is the highest award of the Geological Association of Canada. Named after Sir William Edmond Logan, noted 19th century Canadian geologist. It is presented annually to an individual for sustained distinguished achievement in Canadian earth science.-References:*...
, Geological Association of CanadaGeological Association of CanadaThe Geological Association of Canada promotes and develops the geological sciences in Canada. The organization holds conferences, meetings and exhibitions for the discussion of geological problems and the exchange of views in matters related to geology... - 1995, Major Coke Medal, Geological Society of London
- 1998, Distinguished Educator Award, American Association of Petroleum Geologists
- 2003, William H. Twenhofel MedalWilliam H. Twenhofel MedalThe William H. Twenhofel Medal is the highest award given by the Society for Sedimentary Geology . It is awarded annually to a person for his or her "Outstanding Contributions to Sedimentary Geology."...
, Society for Sedimentary GeologySociety for Sedimentary GeologyThe Society for Sedimentary Geology is an international not-for-profit, scientific society based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is commonly referred to by its acronym SEPM, which refers to its former name, the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists.The Society’s reason for being is to...
Often cited publications
- G. V. Middleton (editor) (1965). Primary Sedimentary Structures and their Hydrodynamic Interpretation: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special Publication No. 12, 265p.
- G. V. Middleton (1966-7). Experiments on density and turbidity currents: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, I, v. 3, p. 523-546; II, v. 3, p. 627- 637; III, v. 4, p. 475-505.
- G. V. Middleton (1973). Johannes Walther's Law of Correlation of Facies: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 38, p. 979-988.
- G. V. Middleton and M. A. Hampton (1973). Part I. Sediment gravity flows: mechanics of flow and deposition, in G. V. Middleton and A. H. Bouma (eds.), Turbidites and Deep Water Sedimentation. Anaheim, California, S.E.P.M. Pacific Section Short Course Notes, 38p.
- G. V. Middleton (1976). Hydraulic interpretation of sand size distributions: Journal of Geology, v. 84:, p. 405-426.
- G. V. Middleton and J. B. Southard (1977). Mechanics of Sediment Movement: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Short Course Notes no. 3, 240 p. Second edition 1985.
- Middleton, G.V. (1993) Sediment deposition from turbidity currents. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Science, v.21, p. 89-114.
- Middleton, G.V. (2005) Spencer, Joseph William Winthrop. Dictionary of Canadian Biography.
- Middleton, G.V. (2006) Andrew Cowper Lawson (1861–1952): How a boy from Canada became a legendary professor of geology at Berkeley. GSA Today, v.16, no.4/5, p. 50-51.
- Middleton, G.V. (2007) Chronology of events in geology in the twentieth century. Northeastern Geology & Environmental Sciences, v.29(2), p. 137-157; v.29(3), p. 245-254.