Axel Olof Gavelin (4 October 1875 – 14 June 1947) was Swedish

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

. He was director of the

Geological Survey of Sweden Geological Survey of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges geologiska undersökning, SGU) is a Swedish government agency that was founded in 1858 dealing with questions about the nature of the geological and mineral management in Sweden. The institution has the ...

. He studied both ice-dammed lakes and Precambrian rocks across Sweden.

Biography

Axel Olof Gavelin was born in the parish of

Vilhelmina Vilhelmina ( sma, Vualtjere) is a locality and the seat of Vilhelmina Municipality in Västerbotten County, province of Lapland, Sweden with 3,657 inhabitants in 2010. Climate Vilhelmina has a subarctic climate that is less severe than typical ...

Västerbotten County Västerbotten County ( sv, Västerbottens län) is a county or ''län'' in the north of Sweden. It shares the borders with the counties of Västernorrland, Jämtland, and Norrbotten, as well as the Norwegian county of Nordland and the Gulf of Bot ...

, Sweden. Gavelin earned a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

Uppsala University Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in opera ...

in 1905. He was employed as acting geologist at the Swedish Geological Survey in 1902, became state geologist in 1903, acting head in 1914 and director general in 1916–41. He carried out his most important geological work in Sweden's bedrock areas and mountain range. He became a member of the

Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for prom ...

and of the Academy of Agriculture in 1922, of the Physiographic Society in Lund in 1924 and of the Academy of Engineering Sciences in 1925. In 1931, Gavelin became chairman of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. He died during 1947 at

Engelbrekt Parish Engelbrekt Parish ( sv, Engelbrekts församling) is a parish in Östermalm's church district (''kontrakt'') in the Diocese of Stockholm, Sweden. The parish is located in Stockholm Municipality in Stockholm County. The parish forms its own pastor ...

Stockholm County Stockholm County ( sv, Stockholms län, link=no ) is a county or '' län'' (in Swedish) on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm ...

, Sweden.

References

1875 births 1947 deaths People from Västerbotten County 20th-century Swedish geologists Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Uppsala University alumni Geological Survey of Sweden personnel {{geologist-stub