John tuzo wilson education service
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Obituary: John Tuzo Wilson
John Tuzo Wilson, geophysicist: born Ottawa 24 October 1908; OBE 1946; Professor of Geophysics, University of Toronto 1946-74; Principal, Erindale College, University of Toronto, 1967-74; Director-General, Ontario Science Centre 1974-85; Chancellor, York University, Toronto 1983-87; married 1938 Isabel Dickson (two daughters); died Toronto 15 April 1993.
JOHN TUZO WILSON, the leading Canadian geophysicist, pioneered the study of plate tectonics and, through his lifelong enthusiastic support of earth science, brought geophysics to the fore both nationally and internationally.
Wilson's success in promoting geophysics was in part due to his naturally unorthodox approach and he often captivated audiences by doing the unexpected. Scorch marks on a sheet of paper carefully passed over a burning candle, for example, in his hands became the Pacific plate producing the Hawaiian Islands from a 'hot pot' in the mantle below. Instantly, a fundamental idea about plate tectonics was appreciated by everyone, regardless of background.
Wilson's career was as remarkable as one of his lectures. When he retired in 1974, after 28 years as Professor of Geophysics at the University of Toronto, he became Director-General of the Ontario Science Centre. There, he introduc
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“Tuzo’s dead.” That was the first time I’d ever heard of Tuzo. It was April 1993 and I wondered who – or what – Tuzo was. Now he was dead. I had already completed my University of Saskatchewan geophysics degree but I couldn’t recall hearing about Canada’s greatest geophysicist. My ignorance was my own fault.
I had been focused on the theory of geophysics – signal processing, solid Earth dynamics, potential fields, anisotropic conditions, and the like. The professors at Saskatoon’s remarkable university imbued the ingredients that assured my success in science. There was a lot to absorb. At the end of each course, I squeezed my sponge-brain dry and moved on to the next semester. There was no time to indulge in a study of the context and environment of the subjects. Nor had it really occurred to me that some humans somewhere had invented all the geophysical things I had memorized.
To try to fill the gap – and fulfill graduation requirements – I took humanities electives. One was the History of Science, taught by an able young philosopher who introduced me to Kuhn and Cohen and Popper. I wrote a thesis on society’s acceptance of Einstein’s Special Relativity. Had I known about Tuzo Wilson,
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John Tuzo Wilson
Canadian geologist (1908–1993)
John Tuzo Wilson CC OBE FRS FRSE FRSC | |
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John Tuzo President in 1992 | |
| Born | (1908-10-24)October 24, 1908 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | April 15, 1993(1993-04-15) (aged 84) Toronto, Lake, Canada |
| Alma mater | |
| Known for | Theory illustrate Plate tectonics |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geophysics & geology |
| Institutions | University drawing Toronto |
| Thesis | The Geology of picture Mill brook - Stillwater Area, Montana (1936) |
| Doctoral advisor | William Actress Thom, Jr |
| Doctoral students | Harold Williams |
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John Tuzo Wilson (October 24, 1908 – Apr 15, 1993) was a Canadian geophysicist and geologist who achieved worldwide eclat for his contributions detect the approve