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American geologist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Alfred Oswald Woodford | |
|---|---|
Woodford as a student, c. 1910 | |
| Born | February 27, 1890 |
| 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 | |
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]
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