Gordon Shrum
Encyclopedia
Gordon Merritt Shrum OC
, OBE
, MM
(January 14, 1896 – June 20, 1985) was a Canadian scientist, teacher, administrator, and the first Chancellor of Simon Fraser University
.
Born in Smithville, Ontario
, his education at Victoria College
at the University of Toronto
, where he started in 1913, was interrupted by World War I. A friend of Mike Pearson
, he was in his Canadian Officers Training Corps (C.O.T.C.) unit starting in 1914. Their company commander was Vincent Massey
.
On April 1, 1916, he enlisted in the army. He was a gunner and fought at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
. He received the Military Medal
during the war. After the war, he continued his education and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1919, a Master of Arts
in 1921, and a Doctorate in physics in 1923.
In 1925, he joined the faculty at the University of British Columbia
(UBC) where he taught physics. From 1938 to 1961, he was the head of the Physics Department. From 1957 to 1961, he was the Dean of Graduate Studies and served on the Senate of the University. He retired at the compulsory age of 65.
During World War II, he was the head and Colonel of the COTC at UBC and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
. In 1944, he was appointed a director of the BC Research Council. In 1952, he offered Har Gobind Khorana, who won the 1968 Nobel Prize in Medicine, a job in Vancouver
, where he stayed until 1960.
In 1958, he was chairman of a royal commission investigating the BC Power Commission. After retiring from UBC, he was appointed head of BC Electric
by Premier W.A.C. Bennett
and was involved with the Peace River
hydro project. This project comprised the construction of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, which impounds Williston Lake Reservoir, and the construction of a 2730 MW powerhouse named after him: the G.M. Shrum Generating Station. He stayed at BC Hydro
until 1972. He was also involved in establishing Simon Fraser University and was its first chancellor from 1964 to 1968.
In 1975, he was appointed Director of the Vancouver Museum and Planetarium Association. In 1986, he wrote his autobiography with Peter Stursberg, called Gordon Shrum: An Autobiography.
In 1967, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
. He was awarded an Honorary D.Sc. degree from U.B.C. in 1961.
He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, just six months before his 90th birthday.
Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia – sometimes considered to be cross-town rivals, as they are the two major universities based in Vancouver – hold a popular annual football match between the SFU Clan and the UBC Thunderbirds, affectionately named "Shrum Bowl."
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(January 14, 1896 – June 20, 1985) was a Canadian scientist, teacher, administrator, and the first Chancellor of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
.
Born in Smithville, Ontario
Smithville, Ontario
Smithville is a community in the township of West Lincoln. It is located on Regional Road 20 between Hamilton and Niagara Falls in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada.-Annual events:...
, his education at Victoria College
Victoria University in the University of Toronto
Victoria University is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1836 and named for Queen Victoria. It is commonly called Victoria College, informally Vic, after the original academic component that now forms its undergraduate division...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, where he started in 1913, was interrupted by World War I. A friend of Mike Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
, he was in his Canadian Officers Training Corps (C.O.T.C.) unit starting in 1914. Their company commander was Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
.
On April 1, 1916, he enlisted in the army. He was a gunner and fought at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
. He received the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
during the war. After the war, he continued his education and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1919, a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1921, and a Doctorate in physics in 1923.
In 1925, he joined the faculty at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
(UBC) where he taught physics. From 1938 to 1961, he was the head of the Physics Department. From 1957 to 1961, he was the Dean of Graduate Studies and served on the Senate of the University. He retired at the compulsory age of 65.
During World War II, he was the head and Colonel of the COTC at UBC and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. In 1944, he was appointed a director of the BC Research Council. In 1952, he offered Har Gobind Khorana, who won the 1968 Nobel Prize in Medicine, a job in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where he stayed until 1960.
In 1958, he was chairman of a royal commission investigating the BC Power Commission. After retiring from UBC, he was appointed head of BC Electric
British Columbia Electric Railway
The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...
by Premier W.A.C. Bennett
W.A.C. Bennett
William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC, OC was the 25th Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett was and remains the longest-serving premier in British Columbia history. He was usually referred to as W.A.C...
and was involved with the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
hydro project. This project comprised the construction of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, which impounds Williston Lake Reservoir, and the construction of a 2730 MW powerhouse named after him: the G.M. Shrum Generating Station. He stayed at BC Hydro
BC Hydro
The BC Hydro and Power Authority is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia generally known simply as BC Hydro. It is the main electric distributor, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas, with the exception of the Kootenay region, where FortisBC, a subsidiary of Fortis...
until 1972. He was also involved in establishing Simon Fraser University and was its first chancellor from 1964 to 1968.
In 1975, he was appointed Director of the Vancouver Museum and Planetarium Association. In 1986, he wrote his autobiography with Peter Stursberg, called Gordon Shrum: An Autobiography.
In 1967, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He was awarded an Honorary D.Sc. degree from U.B.C. in 1961.
He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, just six months before his 90th birthday.
Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia – sometimes considered to be cross-town rivals, as they are the two major universities based in Vancouver – hold a popular annual football match between the SFU Clan and the UBC Thunderbirds, affectionately named "Shrum Bowl."