Chamberlin, Thomas C. (1843–1928)

THOMAS C. CHAMBERLIN was an American glacial geologist and educator who, at the turn of the 20th century, challenged the generally accepted Laplacian theory that the Earth was formed by hot gases and was gradually becoming cooler. He suggested the plan-etesimal hypothesis, arguing that the planets were formed after a star passed near the Sun, pulling away material from both bodies that later condensed into the planets. Chamberlin was one of the first scientists to emphasize the role of carbon dioxide in regulating the Earths temperature, thus anticipating the current debates on global warming. Chamberlin also founded the Journal of Geology, acted as its editor for many years, and was the first director of the U.S. Geological Surveys Pleistocene Division (1881–1904).

Chamberlin was the first geologist to demonstrate that there had been multiple Pleistocene glaciations in North America. He offered early analyses of moraines, drumlins, eskers, and boulder trains. Starting from these features, he worked out regional glacial flow patterns and calculated the outermost limits of the two last glacial advances.

Chamberlin was born on September 23,1843. At the time of Chamberlins birth, his family was living in Mattoon, southern Illinois, but they soon moved north to Beloit in Wisconsin. The future scientist grew up in a religious family (his father was a Methodist minister), where education was held in high esteem. With his four brothers, Chamberlin attended a preparatory academy, and then Beloit College, where he developed a strong interest in natural science. The young Chamberlin was immediately attracted to geology, in spite of the apparent conflicts with his strong Methodist background. While studying at Beloit College, where he was an outstanding student, Chamberlin directed the church choir.

To finance his education, Chamberlin worked in country schools and, upon his graduation in 1866, he became a teacher, and later, principal in a high school near Beloit. He became a particularly popular speaker within the community, giving lectures on science and organizing field trips. In 1867, he married Alma Wilson. The couple had one son, Rollin, who also became a distinguished geologist. Chamberlin went to the University of Michigan for the academic year 1868–69 to strengthen his overall science background and thereafter became very critical of the classical curriculum in colleges. He then went on to teach natural science at the Whitewater, Wisconsin, Normal School, and joined the Beloit faculty in 1873, where he was professor of geology, zoology, and botany.

In 1873, Chamberlin was recruited to work part time with other geologists on a comprehensive geological survey of Wisconsin, the task that marked the beginning of his career in glacial geology. In 1876, due to the reorganization of the survey, Chamberlin was appointed chief geologist and, over the next six years, he supervised the completion of the project. The resulting publication, consisting of four large volumes of the highest academic standards, brought Chamberlin to national attention and led to his appointment as head of the glacial division of the national survey in 1881.

Six years later, the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin in Madison invited Chamberlin to be president. During his tenure, Chamberlin introduced many reforms aimed at strengthening the science curriculum and recruiting outstanding faculty members. He also established the extension program, offering farmers new knowledge that could be helpful to them. He introduced seminars as a core element of teaching and started formal postgraduate study with a Ph.D. program. In 1892, Chamberlin accepted the chair of the geology department at the University of Chicago, a position that he kept for the next 26 years. As a chair, he made the department one of the world s leading institutions in the field and established the Walker Museum.

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