Charles Kenneth Leith

Charles Kenneth Leith, circa 1904

Charles Kenneth Leith (January 20, 1875 – September 13, 1956) was an American geologist. He was head of the University of Wisconsin geology department for 30 years. In 1942, he was awarded the Penrose Medal by the Geological Society of America,[1] the highest award given in the geosciences.

Biography

Leith was born in Trempealeau, Wisconsin.[2] He was hired by Charles R. Van Hise as a stenographer in 1892 to work on his publications, and was so taken by the work that he completed a bachelor's degree in geology at the University of Wisconsin in 1897 and a Ph.D. in 1901. In 1903, when Van Hise became president of the University of Wisconsin, he hired Leith as head of the geology department at the age of 28. Leith served as chair until 1934 (31 years), and remained with the department until he retired in 1945. He also lectured on structural and metamorphic geology at the University of Chicago beginning in 1905.[2]

His early research focused on the geology of the Lake Superior region, including the ore deposits of the Mesabi range. He served as a consultant for the location and valuation of ore deposits for several mining companies and served as mineral adviser to the U.S. Shipping Board and the War Industries Board during World War I. He organized studies of world mineral supplies in the 1920s and served on many government agencies, including the Atomic Energy Commission, through the 1950s.

Leith served as president of the Geological Society of America in 1933.[3]

Leith also won the Penrose Gold Medal of the Society of Economic Geologists in 1935.[4]

Works

See also

References

  1. ↑ Eckel, Edwin. The Geological Society of America: Life History of a Learned Society. Boulder, Co.: Geological Society of America Memoir 155, p. 115. ISBN 0-8137-1155-X.
  2. 1 2  Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Leith, Charles Kenneth". Encyclopedia Americana.
  3. ↑ Eckel, Edwin. The Geological Society of America: Life History of a Learned Society. Boulder, Co.: Geological Society of America Memoir 155, p. 160. ISBN 0-8137-1155-X.
  4. ↑ "Penrose Gold Medal". Society of Economic Geologists. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.