Dr. Victor R. Baker:
My Personal Interactions with J Harlen Bretz and his "Outrageous Geological Hypothesis" for the Origin of the Channeled Scabland
Tualatin Heritage Center 8/17 at 7pm
In 1923 J Harlen Bretz (1882-1981) Published his "outrageous geological hypothesis" that ascribed the origin of the Channeled Scabland of eastern Washington state to an immense catastrophic flood that occurred during the last ice age. Because 100 years ago geologists believed that their science necessarily had to be free of catastrophic explanations for natural phenomena, Bretz's proposal initially had little support in the science community. Controversy over the hypothesis raged for many decades until the late 1960's when I was contemplating a Ph.D dissertation on quantitative aspects of the physical mega-flood processes that Bretz had invoked in qualitative terms.
"Doc" Bretz was absolutely delighted that I was going to investigate the physical mechanics of the flooding, so he strongly encouraged my study and provided many suggestions, both for my initial proposal and for the final dissertation that was completed in 1971.
My more intimate personal interactions with "Doc" occurred in the later 1970s when I visited with him at his home near Chicago and collected biographical materials for various publications and for my preparation of an extensive award nomination package delivered to The Geological Society of America (GSA). The nomination was eventually successful, with the resultthat, in 1979, J Harlen Bretz received the GSA's highest honor, the Penrose Medal
Dr. Victor R Baker, Regents Professor of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences and Planetary Sciences. The University of Arizona
He received a B.S. in Geology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1967 and a Ph.D in Geology from The University of Colorado in 1971. After working as a hydrologist and geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey in New York and Colorado, he was on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin 1971-81, advancing to the rank of Full Professor.
In 1981 he moved to the Departments of Geosciences and Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, first a Full Professor, and then in 1988 as one of the first University of Arizona Regents Professors. From 1996-2004 he was Department Head of the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources (now Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences).
Baker has authored more than 1100 scientific contributions, including 20 books, 450 research articles and chapters, 560 abstracts and short research reports (nearly all of them associated with papers that were presented at professional meetings, conferences, and workshops), 36 extended technical reports, 52 encyclopedia articles, 39 published book reviews; plus guidebook contributions and various other writings, including popular works in science.