Daniel Francis Merriam

For the American watercolorist, see Daniel Merriam.
Daniel F. Merriam
Born(1927-02-02)February 2, 1927
Nebraska, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 2017(2017-04-26) (aged 90)
Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Kansas
Leicester University
OccupationScientist
Known forQuantitative Techniques in Geology
Computers in Geosciences
AwardsKrumbein Medal
William Smith Medal
Scientific career
InstitutionsSyracuse University
Wichita State University
Stanford University
Kansas Geological Survey
WebsiteKGS Bio

Daniel Francis Merriam (February 2, 1927 – April 26, 2017) was an American geologist best known for fostering the development of quantitative modeling in geology after the advent of digital computers.[1] He first joined the Kansas Geological Survey in 1953, initially working under the direction Raymond C. Moore to have a more accurate knowledge about the geology of the state. His fascination with the new possibilities offered by computers started ten years later while working with John W. Harbaugh at Stanford University as Visiting Research Scientist. In the following seven years, he was active organizing colloquia and as editor of the Computer Contributions, who saw 50 publications in the series by pioneers in the new field. Merriam accepted the position of Chairman of the Department of Geology at Syracuse University in 1971 and moved to the same position at Wichita State University in 1981,[2] coming back to the Kansas Geological Survey in 1991 to retire in 1997,[3] remaining as an Emeritus Scientist.[4]

Consistent with his interest to promote the use of computers in geology, Dan was instrumental in founding the International Association for Mathematical Geology (IAMG) in 1968, serving as its second Secretary General (1972–1976) and third President (1976–1980).[5] In 1969, he started for the Association what is today the Mathematical Geosciences journal [6] and in 1975 Computers & Geosciences jointly with IAMG and Pergamon Press.[7] He received the William Christian Krumbein Medal in 1982 in appreciation for his services to the IAMG and the profession[8] and a festschrift in 1993.[9] In 1992, the Geological Society (London) presented him the William Smith Medal.[10]

  1. ^ "The Geological Society of London - Daniel Francis Merriam 1927-2017".
  2. ^ Davis, John C. (1982). "Association announcements". Journal of the International Association for Mathematical Geology. 14 (6): 679–681. doi:10.1007/BF01033889. S2CID 198195190.
  3. ^ http://iamg.org/documents/Newsletters/NewslettersHSP/newsletter_54.pdf Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "KGS--Staff List--A to Z". www.kgs.ku.edu. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Historical List of Councilors and Officers of IAMG - IAMG". iamg.org. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Officers and council of the IAMG and their current addresses". Journal of the International Association for Mathematical Geology. 1: 127. 1969. doi:10.1007/BF02047078. S2CID 198199030.
  7. ^ Merriam, D.F. (1975). "Editorial". Computers & Geosciences. 1 (1–2): 1. Bibcode:1975CG......1....1M. doi:10.1016/0098-3004(75)90002-3.
  8. ^ http://www.iamg.org/images/File/documents/bios/Krumbein%20recipients%20pdfs/1981Merriam.pdf Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  9. ^ Computers in Geology: 25 Years of Progress. International Association for Mathematical Geology Studies in Mathematical Geology. Oxford University Press. 4 November 1993. ISBN 9780195085938. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  10. ^ "The Geological Society of London - William Smith Medal". www.geolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2017.