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Gordon P. Eaton

American geologist (1929–2022)

Gordon P. Eaton
Eaton as Director of USGS, 1994–1997
12th Director of the United States Geological Survey
In office 1994 (1994)–1997 (1997)
Preceded by	Dallas Lynn Peck
Succeeded by	Charles G. Groat
12th President of Iowa State University
In office 1986–1990
Preceded by	W. Robert Parks
Succeeded by	Martin C. Jischke
Personal details
Born	(1929-03-09)March 9, 1929 Dayton, Ohio, USA
Died	(2022-07-02)July 2, 2022 (aged 93) Bryan, Texas, USA
Alma mater	Wesleyan University California Institute of Technology
Awards	2016 Michel T. Halbouty Medal
Scientific career
Fields	Geology, Geophysics
Institutions	Wesleyan University University of California, Riverside Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory Texas A&M University Iowa State University U.S. Geological Survey
Thesis	Miocene volcanic activity in the Los Angeles Basin and vicinity (1957)
Doctoral advisor	James A Noble

Gordon Pryor Eaton (March 9, 1929 – July 2, 2022) was an American geologist. Eaton was born in Dayton, Ohio.

Life and career[edit]

Dr. Eaton graduated from Wesleyan University, with high Honors, High Distinction and Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi recognition, with a B.A. in Geology in 1951; received an M.S. in Geology from the California Institute of Technology in 1953; and a Ph.D. in Geology and Geophysics in 1957 from the California Institute of Technology.^[1] At Wesleyan he was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity.

Dr. Eaton held a number of academic positions. Eaton taught as his alma mater from 1955–1959. From 1959 to 1967, he was an assistant professor, associate professor, and chair of the Department of Geological Sciences at University of California, Riverside. From 1986 to 1990, Eaton served as President of Iowa State University.^[2]

On March 24, 1994, Dr. Gordon P. Eaton became the 12th Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. From October 1990 to March 1994, he served as the Director of Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia UniversityinPalisades, New York. From 1986 to 1990, Dr. Eaton was President of the Iowa State UniversityinAmes, Iowa. From 1967 to 1981, he held various positions with the U.S. Geological Survey, including Associate Chief Geologist, Reston, Virginia and Scientist-in-charge, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.

Dr. Eaton is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Geological Society of America, and the American Geophysical Union. He is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, and American Men and Women of Science. He was a member of committee on the formation of the National Biological Survey, National Research Council. He has also served on the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources and the Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council.^[3]

Dr. Eaton passed away on July 2, 2022^[4]

Awards and honors[edit]

• Eaton Hall on the campus of Iowa State University is named for Dr. Eaton.

Publications[edit]

• Epeirogeny in the Southern Rocky Mountains region; evidence and originGeosphere, vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 764–784, Oct 2008
• Once a geologist, always a... the path to a university presidency... and back again The Compass, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 27–28, 2005
• Disinformation, misinformation, or myths? Geotimes, vol. 42, no. 8, pp. 5, Aug 1997
• The new U. S. Geological Survey; environment, resources, and the future Environmental Geosciences, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 3–10, Mar 1997
• The future of national geological surveys; global challenges, global opportunities Renewable Resources Journal, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 14–17, 1995
• A tectonic redefinition of the Southern Rocky Mountains Tectonophysics, vol. 132, no. 1-3, pp. 163–193, 15 Dec 1986
• Recommendations for research in determining the probability of mineral occurrence with Robert G. Garrett. U.S. Geological Survey Circular No. 0980, pp. 278–282, 1986
• Mineral abundance in the North American Cordillera American Scientist, vol. 72, no. 4, pp. 368–377, Aug 1984
• The Basin and Range Province; origin and tectonic significance Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, vol. 10, pp. 409–440, 1982
• The 1977 eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, vol. 7, no. -4, pp. 189–210, May 1980

References[edit]

Additional sources[edit]

• Iowa State University - Gordon P. Eaton Papers, 1972-1991

External links[edit]

• Oral history interview with Gordon Eaton on 8 July 1997, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives - Session I
• Oral history interview with Gordon Eaton on 4 August 1997, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives - Session II
• Portrait of Gordon Eaton Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine from U.S. Geological Survey Museum Collection
• Photograph of Gordon P. Eaton from the U.S. Geological Survey (About USGS: Directors)