born June 21, 1887, Kingston, Ont., Can.
died Sept. 11, 1956, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Canadian geologist.
He worked on and off for more than 35 years for the Geophysical Laboratory in Washington, D.C., where he researched silicate systems. During World War I he made a brief foray into optics, but after the war he returned to his studies of silicate systems. In 1928 he published The Evolution of the Igneous Rocks , which had a profound influence on petrologic thought. At the University of Chicago (1937–47) he developed a school of experimental petrology . His achievements won him honours both in the U.S. and Europe.