Alfred Oswald Woodford | |
---|---|
![]() Woodford as a student,
c. 1910 | |
Born | |
Died | June 29, 1990 | (aged 100)
Alma mater |
Pomona College (
B.A.) University of California, Berkeley ( Ph.D) |
Occupation | Geologist |
Employer | Pomona College |
Spouse |
Gwendolyn Green
(
m. 1929; died 1982) |
Children | 2 |
Parents |
|
Alfred Oswald Woodford (February 27, 1890 – June 29, 1990) was an American geologist. He was the founding director of the geology department at Pomona College, where he taught for four decades.
He was nicknamed "Woody". [3]
Woodford was born in Upland, California, on February 27, 1890, to a family of successful citrus farmers. [1] He moved with his family to neighboring Claremont in 1909, and graduated from Pomona College (where he was editor of The Student Life [2]) with a degree in chemistry in 1913. [1] [5] [6] He subsequently pursued graduate work in soil chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and received his doctorate in 1921. [1]
Woodford joined the chemistry department at Pomona in 1915 or 1916, while he was pursuing his doctorate. [1] [7] [2] In 1919 or 1920, he began teaching geology, and he established the college's geology department in 1921 or 1922. [1] [7] [8] He was Pomona's sole geology professor for two decades, until his former student John Shelton joined him in 1941. [1] His academic specialties included California geology, stream hydraulics, and the history of geology. [3]
Woodford taught many students who went on to have notable careers, including Rollin Eckis, Roger Revelle, Charles A. Anderson, Mason Hill, and R. Dana Russell. [3] [1] [2] Several were involved in California's oil industry. [9] From 1920 to 1940, Pomona graduated more geologists on a per capita basis who became listed in American Men of Science than any other institution. [7]
In 1951, Woodford published a geology textbook with James Gilluly and Aaron C. Waters, Principles of Geology, which became the standard instruction for the subject. [7] [1] He published a history of the field, Historical Geology, in 1965. [7]
Woodford married Gwendolyn Green in 1929, a partnership that lasted until her death in 1982. [1] [2] He had two daughters, Marjorie and Betsy. [1]
In his spare time, he played bridge and supported Pomona's athletics program. [7]
Woodford retired from teaching in 1955, [3] although he continued to engage with students into his 90s. [1] In 1972, he served as president of the National Association of Geologists. [7]
A centenarian, he died on June 29, 1990, at Pilgrim Place, [7] a retirement community in Claremont. [3]
Upon his retirement, Woodford was awarded the Neil A. Miner Award, the highest honor bestowed by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. [3] In 1971, Pomona granted him an honorary doctorate. [7]
Alfred Oswald Woodford | |
---|---|
![]() Woodford as a student,
c. 1910 | |
Born | |
Died | June 29, 1990 | (aged 100)
Alma mater |
Pomona College (
B.A.) University of California, Berkeley ( Ph.D) |
Occupation | Geologist |
Employer | Pomona College |
Spouse |
Gwendolyn Green
(
m. 1929; died 1982) |
Children | 2 |
Parents |
|
Alfred Oswald Woodford (February 27, 1890 – June 29, 1990) was an American geologist. He was the founding director of the geology department at Pomona College, where he taught for four decades.
He was nicknamed "Woody". [3]
Woodford was born in Upland, California, on February 27, 1890, to a family of successful citrus farmers. [1] He moved with his family to neighboring Claremont in 1909, and graduated from Pomona College (where he was editor of The Student Life [2]) with a degree in chemistry in 1913. [1] [5] [6] He subsequently pursued graduate work in soil chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and received his doctorate in 1921. [1]
Woodford joined the chemistry department at Pomona in 1915 or 1916, while he was pursuing his doctorate. [1] [7] [2] In 1919 or 1920, he began teaching geology, and he established the college's geology department in 1921 or 1922. [1] [7] [8] He was Pomona's sole geology professor for two decades, until his former student John Shelton joined him in 1941. [1] His academic specialties included California geology, stream hydraulics, and the history of geology. [3]
Woodford taught many students who went on to have notable careers, including Rollin Eckis, Roger Revelle, Charles A. Anderson, Mason Hill, and R. Dana Russell. [3] [1] [2] Several were involved in California's oil industry. [9] From 1920 to 1940, Pomona graduated more geologists on a per capita basis who became listed in American Men of Science than any other institution. [7]
In 1951, Woodford published a geology textbook with James Gilluly and Aaron C. Waters, Principles of Geology, which became the standard instruction for the subject. [7] [1] He published a history of the field, Historical Geology, in 1965. [7]
Woodford married Gwendolyn Green in 1929, a partnership that lasted until her death in 1982. [1] [2] He had two daughters, Marjorie and Betsy. [1]
In his spare time, he played bridge and supported Pomona's athletics program. [7]
Woodford retired from teaching in 1955, [3] although he continued to engage with students into his 90s. [1] In 1972, he served as president of the National Association of Geologists. [7]
A centenarian, he died on June 29, 1990, at Pilgrim Place, [7] a retirement community in Claremont. [3]
Upon his retirement, Woodford was awarded the Neil A. Miner Award, the highest honor bestowed by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. [3] In 1971, Pomona granted him an honorary doctorate. [7]