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Gordon Younger Craig

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Gordon Younger Craig
FRSE, FGS
Born(1925-01-17)January 17, 1925
Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland
DiedOctober 3, 2014(2014-10-03) (aged 89)
EducationHillhead High School, Bearsden Academy
Alma materGlasgow University, University of Edinburgh
Known forGeology of Scotland
AwardsMedal, from the International Commission History of Geological Sciences
Scientific career
FieldsGeology
InstitutionsUniversity of Edinburgh, Glasgow University
ThesisA study of carboniferous palaeoecology (1951)

Gordon Younger Craig, FRSE, FGS (January 17, 1925 – October 3, 2014)[1] was a Scottish geologist, author, historian,[2] and a professor at the University of Edinburgh.[3]

Early life

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He was born on 17 of January in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, the only son of James and Emily Maud Craig. He attended Hillhead High School and Bearsden Academy, from where he progressed to Glasgow University to study Geology and where he was active in the university's Geological Society. His studies were interrupted by World War II, during which he served naval service.[4] He graduated in 1946 with first class honours degree and was a demonstrator in the Glasgow department for the following year.

Career

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Upon recommendation by the renowned T. Neville George, in 1947 he was appointed Lecturer in Palaeontology at Edinburgh University, aged 22, and with the generous yearly salary of £500.[1] Encouraged by Prof. Arthur Holmes, he progressed to become Reader in 1960, the first James Hutton Prof. of Geology in 1967, and Head of Department in 1981, a position which he held until 1984.[2] He specialized in the emerging field of palaeoecology, studying the interaction between organisms and their living environment. One of his gifts was the aptitude to explain in plain language elaborate concepts in an accessible, condensed and concise way.[1] He summed up his research on Lingula saying that "Lingula burrows vertically, anterior end uppermost and always did", and he commented that "It pays to have a snappy hack on your team. Matthew did the crucifixion in 2000 words and it has lasted 2000 years".[3] His Geology of Scotland, defined as the bible of Scottish geological interpretation[1] was published in four editions, and it has been treasured by students over the years in the same way they did Principles of Physical Geology by Arthur Holmes.[3] When the Clerk family of Penicuik discovered some watercolour drawings illustrating geological scenes belonging to their ancestor Sir John Clerk of Eldin, one of James Hutton's companions, he was able to recognize at once their importance. They were the lost drawings meant to illustrate the second volume of Theory of the Earth by Hutton. In team with Charles Waterston (National Museum of Scotland) and the visiting professor Donald McIntyre from Pomona College, he researched the exact locations of these drawings, resulting in the magnificent publication of 1968 with exquisite facsimiles and editorial comments.[5] He was involved in the International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) and became its president between 1984 and 1989, organizing international conferences throughout the whole world and promoting the role of Edinburgh as home to James Hutton, "father of modern Geology".[1]

Works

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  • The geology of Scotland [6]
  • A geological miscellany [7] is an entertainment: a book of anecdotes, epigrams, documents, and cartoons, all illustrating (although not all intentionally) the humorous side of the profession.
  • Ecology and palaeoecology of marine environments [8]
  • James Hutton: present and future [9]
  • James Hutton's Theory of the earth: the lost drawings [10]
  • James Hutton & Joseph Black: biographies [11]
  • The Geology of the Lothians and south east Scotland: an excursion guide. [12] This is a guide for those wanting to explore the geology of the Southern Uplands. It suggests several excursions and provides background information.
  • The 1785 abstract of James Hutton's theory of the earth [13]
  • This restless earth [14]

Awards

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He was a Fellow of the Geological Society.[2] In 1964, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for the discipline Earth Sciences and Chemistry.[4] In 1990, he received the Mary C Rabbit History of Geology award by the Geological Society of America 's History of Geology Division. This award is presented yearly to an individual for exceptional scholarly contributions of fundamental importance to our understanding of the geological sciences.[1]

Legacy

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He is remembered as a man who gave to all his most precious of gifts, the gift of time.[4] The School of Geosciences of the University of Edinburgh has planned to honour his memory by awarding a Gordon Craig Memorial Scholarship to a student of Geology. This would be a fitting tribute to someone who spent so much time and energy helping the next generation to succeed.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Prof Gordon Craig FRSE". www.scotsman.com. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "The Geological Society of London - Gordon Younger Craig 1925-2014". www.geolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Obituaries". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Professor Gordon Younger Craig FRSE". The Royal Society of Edinburgh. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  5. ^ Clarkson, Euan N.K. (January 2015). "Professor Gordon Craig (1925-2014)". The Scottish Journal of Geology. 50th Anniversary Volume (published March 2015): 1–2.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Craig, G. Y (1965). The geology of Scotland. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books. OCLC 625039.
  7. ^ Craig, G. Y; Jones, E. J (1985). A geological miscellany. doi:10.1515/9781400857913. ISBN 978-1-4008-5791-3. OCLC 889254657.
  8. ^ Schäfer, Wilhelm; Craig, G. Y (1972). Ecology and palaeoecology of marine environments;. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-73581-8. OCLC 582714.
  9. ^ Craig, G. Y; Hull, J. H; Geological Society of London (1999). James Hutton: present and future. London: Geological Society. ISBN 978-1-86239-026-3. OCLC 40838996.
  10. ^ Hutton, James (1987). James Hutton's Theory of the earth: the lost drawings. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. OCLC 842095328.
  11. ^ Playfair, John; Ferguson, Adam; Craig, G. Y (1997). James Hutton & Joseph Black: biographies. Edinburgh: RSE Scotland Foundation. ISBN 978-0-902198-18-0. OCLC 37995141.
  12. ^ Craig, G. Y; Duff, P. McL. D; Edinburgh Geological Society (1975). The Geology of the Lothians and south east Scotland: an excursion guide. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7073-0106-8. OCLC 3710081.
  13. ^ Craig, G. Y (1987). The 1785 abstract of James Hutton's theory of the earth. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-7073-0529-5. OCLC 832220469.
  14. ^ Craig, G. Y (1962). This restless earth. Oliver & Boyd. OCLC 30232082.
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