Robert John Wilson Douglas (1920–1979) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

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, althoug ...

who made contributions in the fields of structure stratigraphy,

sedimentation Sedimentation is the deposition of sediments. It takes place when particles in suspension settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the ...

, and petroleum geology.

Education

Douglas was awarded a Manly B. Baker Scholarship and graduated from Queen's University in geology and mineralogy. He obtained 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 ...

degree in geology from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

Career

Douglas worked as a student assistant for the

Geological Survey of Canada The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC; french: Commission géologique du Canada (CGC)) is a Canadian federal government agency responsible for performing geological surveys of the country, developing Canada's natural resources and protecting the e ...

. He left the Survey for three years to serve as a navigator with the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

. Douglas has contributed to our understanding of the structure of the Canadian

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

and northern Canada. His exposition of the mechanics of bedding plane thrusts, of back-limb thrust faults and folding of the thrusts forms the basis for the later work carried out in these areas. Douglas also studied the stratigraphy of the Mississippian system in

southern Alberta Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. In 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017.carbonate rock Carbonate rocks are a class of sedimentary rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. The two major types are limestone, which is composed of calcite or aragonite (different crystal forms of CaCO3), and dolomite rock (also known as dolosto ...

s and theories on the formation of oil and gas reservoirs.

Personal life

Douglas and his wife Winnifred lived in Ottawa,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

with their three children, Isabel, Robert and Gordon. He died of a heart attack in 1979.

Positions held

*1961-1963, member of the Canadian National Committee, 6th World Petroleum Congress *1962-1964, member of the Program Committee of the

American Association of Petroleum Geologists The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world's largest professional geological societies with more than 40,000 members across 129 countries as of 2021. The AAPG works to "advance the science of geology, especially as ...

*1962-1965, served as Associate Editor of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitch ...

*Member of the Geological Survey of Canada Committees on Stable Isotopes and Age Determination, and on Library, Stratigraphic Nomenclature *Committee member on the Geology Advisory Committee of the Alberta Research Council

Honors and awards

*Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada *Fellow of the

*Fellow of the

Royal Canadian Geographical Society The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS; French: ''Société géographique royale du Canada'') is a Canadian nonprofit educational organization dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of Canada—its people a ...

*Member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists *Member of the Alberta Society of Petroleum Geologists *Member of the National Geographic Society *1965, awarded the Willet G. Miller Medal by the Royal Society of Canada *1976, awarded the

Logan Medal :::''There is also a Logan Medal of the arts, awarded by the Chicago Arts Institute.'' The Logan Medal is the highest award of the Geological Association of Canada. Named after Sir William Edmond Logan, noted 19th-century Canadian geologist. It ...

by the Geological Association of Canada *1980, the

Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG) is a professional geological society in Canada. The CSPG works to advance the science of geology, foster professional development of members and promote community awareness of the profession. The ...

begins awarding the R. J. W. Douglas Medal

Select publications

*Douglas, R. J. W. (1970) ''Geology and economic minerals of Canada''. Geological Survey of Canada. *Price, Raymond A.; Douglas, R. J. W. (1972) ''Variations in tectonic styles in Canada''. Toronto: Geological Association of Canada. *Douglas, R. J. W. (1981) ''Callum Creek, Langford Creek, and Gap map-areas, Alberta'' Ottawa and Hull, Quebec: Geological Survey of Canada.

External links

Get Cited- R J W Douglas

Willet G. Miller Medal Winners

R.J.W. Douglas Medal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, R. J. W. 1920 births 1979 deaths 20th-century Canadian geologists Geological Survey of Canada personnel Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada Queen's University at Kingston alumni Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of World War II Fellows of the Geological Society of America Logan Medal recipients Canadian expatriates in the United States