Some Milestones-History of the Department

Geology courses taught in Department of Civil Engineering by Owen White and Paul Karrow, and in the Department of Science by Physics professor Harold Ellenton. 

Science Forward Planning Committee recommended to Science Faculty Council that a Department of Earth Sciences be established.

Department of Earth Sciences established July 1, 1965 in Faculty of Science with Paul Karrow (Quaternary Geology) as Chair; Ted Appleyard (Petrology) and Christopher Barnes (Paleontology); Barbara Beaulieu as secretary; and Brian Robinson as part-time technician.  First students admitted in September 1965 in new three-year General Earth Sciences program.

Donald Salter (Clay Mineraology) and David Lawson (Sedimentology) joined as faculty members, Peter Fisher as full-time technician, and Mary Copp as Teaching Assistant. First departmental vehicle, International Harvester Travelall, acquired and shared with Department of Biology.

Gwilym Roberts (Economic Geology) joined department.  New Honours B.Sc. program in Earth Sciences (Geology Option) admited seven students.  Ildi Munro joined as second departmental teaching assistant and Peter Russell hired as second full-time departmental technician.  First B.Sc. in Earth Sciences granted to Brian Bornhold.  Secretariat for the Geological Association of Canada established at University of Waterloo, with Chris Barnes as Secretary.

The Biology-Earth Sciences Museum opened in February in commemoration of Canada Centennial; 1266 off-campus visitors came in first 10 weeks.  Bill Bond as President established Geology Club (later to be called WATROX) and holds first party at home of Gwilym Roberts.

M.Sc. program in Earth Sciences with Specialization in Environmental Geology received provincial approval.  First field trip to Whitefish Falls occurred.

Bob Farvolden appointed Chair of Department of Earth Sciences and began development of graduate program in hydrogeology and the setting up of a drill rig and drilling operation with driller Sam Vales,  who joined in 1971.  Photograph is Petrology Class in 1970.

Three new faculty members appointed: John Cherry (Groundwater), Peter Fritz (Geochemistry) and Emil Frind (Quantitative Methods). 

Ph.D. program in groundwater and engineering geology received approval in February from province.  John Greenhouse (Geophysics),  M. Kalin (Engineering Geology), Eric Reardon (Mineralogy), and technician Bob Drimmie joined department; three support staff in office.  Blagoje Novakovic is first M.Sc.in Earth Sciences to convocate. There were around 100 undergraduates and 30 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in Earth Sciences at this time. 

Honours B.Sc. in Earth Sciences Co-operative stream admitted first students

Murray-James Verge awarded first Ph.D. degree in Earth Sciences.

Bob Farvolden became Dean of Science and Professor Chris Barnes became Chair of the department. Honours Earth Sciences Co-operative program changed into two new streams: Applied Earth Sciences and Applied Earth Sciences (Geotechnical Option).  Annual tuition fees regular stream: $728.80.

Professors John Gale and Peter Fransham (Geological Engineering), Ian Gibson (Structural Geology), and Jim Barker (Organic Geochemistry) joined department.

Chemistry 1 Building renamed Earth Sciences-Chemistry Building (ESC).

Professors Mario Coniglio (Stratigraphy), Maurice Dusseault (Rock Mechanics), Shaun Frape (Geochemistry), Alan Morgan (Quaternary Geology), David Nobes (Geophysics) and Sherry Schiff (Geochemistry) join department; Barry Warner (Quaternary Paleoecology) and Ed Sudicky (Physical Hydrogeology and Groundwater Modelling) as NSERC-University Research Fellows. Katherine LaHay joins department as Senior Instructor.

Institute for Groundwater Research established under direction of John Cherry. Geological Garden of the Earth Sciences created to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the University of Waterloo and was renamed the Peter Russell Rock Garden in 1999 in honour of Peter’s recognition as Honorary Member of the University.

Departments of Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering received approval from Engineering Accreditation Board for establishment of Geological Engineering Program and replaced Applied Earth Sciences (Geotechnical Option).

John Greenhouse became department Chair.  Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research established as one of seven Ontario Centres of Excellence.

Professor Tom Edwards (Isotope Geochemistry) succeeded Peter Fritz following his departure.

Tony Endres (Geophysics) and Shoufa Lin (Structural Geology) joined department.

Bob Gillham became department Chair; Bob Farvolden retired from the university and Dave Rudolph joined department.

First Farvolden Lecture and Symposium.

Ed Sudicky became department Chair. Bob Gillham and John Cherry awarded NSERC Industrial Research Chairs in Groundwater Remediation and Contaminant Hydrogeology, respectively. Bob Linnen (Petrology) joined department.

Jim Barker succeeded Ed Sudicky as departmental Chair; Sudicky and Blowes awarded Canada Research Chairs in Groundwater Remediation and Quantitative Hydrogeology, respectively.  Photograph is Earth 490 trip, December 2002 to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

Department moved into new quarters in the Centre for Environmental and Information Technology Building.

Mario Coniglio succeeded Jim Barker as Chair.

Mario Coniglio appointed Associate Dean Undergraduate Students and Bob Gillham resumed duties as department Chair. China 2+2 established with arrival of first students from six partner universities in China.

Carol Ptacek (Contaminant Hydrology and Geochemistry) Martin Ross (Applied Quaternary Geology) joined department.

Barry Warner appointed department Chair. Walter Illman (Groundwater) joined department and Sherry Schiff named University Research Chair in Environmental Geochemistry. University celebrated 50^th Anniversary and placed commemorative rock in Peter Russell Rock Garden.

Name of department changed to Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.  Honours Earth Sciences (Environmental Specialization) replaced by new Honour Environmental Sciences (Geoscience Specialization). 

Reimer Family Gallery opened in Earth Sciences Museum.  Alan Morgan named 3M Teaching Fellow. 

Philippe Van Cappellen arrived as Canada Excellence Research Chair in Ecohydrology.

Nandita Basu, Carl Guilmette, Brian Kendall, and Lingling Wu joined department. Cobalt Discovery Mine officially opened in Earth Sciences Museum. Katherine LaHay retired and succeeded by Jennifer Parks.  WATROX joined the Geological Association of Canada as official Logan Chapter. First Gwilym Roberts Memorial Scholarship awarded.

Department celebrates 50^th Anniversary.