May 20-21, 2004

ITEM 123-1006-R0504    Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Geology upon Don Hyndman; The University of Montana-Missoula

THAT: Donald W. Hyndman, in his 40th year of dedicated service to The University of Montana, has merited the commendation of the Board of Regents of the Montana University System, and earned the title of Professor Emeritus of Geology.

EXPLANATION: Dr. Donald Hyndman earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1964, joined the University of Montana, and rose rapidly to the rank of Professor. Professor Hyndman is an awardee of The University of Montana Distinguished Scholar Award and a recipient of the UM Distinguished Teaching Award. Recognition beyond the borders of our campus includes that from several learned societies. Don Hyndman is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America, and a Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada.

Professor Hyndman focused his scholarly work for several decades on the petrology of igneous and metamorphic rocks. During much of that time, his text, Petrology of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks, published in the McGraw Hill International Series for two editions, was the leading such text in the world. He is also coauthor of seven books in the Roadside Geology Series that he and Professor Alt invented, and Northwest Exposures with Dave Alt. A late career change of interest in scholarship is now culminating in coauthoring a book with his son, David, Natural Hazards and Disasters, soon to be published by Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. In science, peer reviewed papers carry more weight than books; Don has about fifty publications in the peer-reviewed literature along with many dozens of presentations including published abstracts. The new knowledge presented in those papers and distributed in the books was developed while Don mentored about 80 M.S. and Ph.D. students along with many senior thesis advisees.

The Department of Geology is pleased to recommend Professor Donald Hyndman for Emeritus status.