Francis J. Pettijohn
Encyclopedia
Francis John Pettijohn was a prominent American geologist
who served for many years on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University
.
Pettijohn received his doctorate from the University of Minnesota
in 1923 based on a study of Precambrian
sedimentology
and structure
of an area around Abram Lake, Ontario
. In 1929 he obtained a position at the University of Chicago
. He became a full professor there in 1949. In 1943 he published an important work on Archaean sedimentation. In 1952 he moved to John Hopkins University where he remained until retirement in 1973.
from the Geological Society of America
in 1975. Other awards include the Twenhofel Medal of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, the Wollaston Medal
of the Geological Society of London
and the Sorby Medal of the International Association of Sedimentologists.
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
who served for many years on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
Pettijohn received his doctorate from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1923 based on a study of Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
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...
and structure
Structural geology
Structural geology is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units with respect to their deformational histories. The primary goal of structural geology is to use measurements of present-day rock geometries to uncover information about the history of deformation in the rocks, and...
of an area around Abram Lake, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1929 he obtained a position at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He became a full professor there in 1949. In 1943 he published an important work on Archaean sedimentation. In 1952 he moved to John Hopkins University where he remained until retirement in 1973.
Honors and awards
He received the Penrose MedalPenrose Medal
The Penrose Medal was created in 1927 by R.A.F. Penrose, Jr. as the top prize awarded by the Geological Society of America to those who advance the study of geoscience.-Award winners:* 2011 Paul F. Hoffman* 2010 Eric J. Essene* 2009 B. Clark Burchfiel...
from the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
in 1975. Other awards include the Twenhofel Medal of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, the Wollaston Medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
and the Sorby Medal of the International Association of Sedimentologists.
Books
- Paleocurrents and Basin Analysis, Springer (1963; 1977) ISBN 978-3540079521
- Sand and Sandstone, Springer (1972) ISBN 978-3540055280
- Sedimentary Rocks, Harpercollins; 3rd edition (1983) ISBN 978-0060451912
- Atlas and Glossary of Sedimentary Structures, Springer Verlag (1964) ISBN 978-0387031941
- Memoirs of an Unrepentant Field Geologist, University of Chicago Press (1984) ISBN 978-0226664033
- Studies of Appalachian Geology: Central and Southern, editor, Wiley (1970) ISBN 978-0471261421