Dr. John Ross, former Professor of Geology, has died
Dr. John V. Ross, a Professor in the Department of Geology for over 35 years, died on July 29th 2019, at the age of 91. His obituary can be found here.
John trained at Imperial College London under J.G. Ramsay, and came to UBC in 1956, shortly after completing his PhD. He would spend his entire career here. He was an international leader in the field of structural geology, one of early contributors in deciphering superimposed minor structures that resulted from multiple periods of deformation and the practical use of stereonets in their interpretation. He loved field work and placed great emphasis on field observations and analysis.
He trained generations of geologists and geological engineers who feared but respected his challenging structural geology course. Most came to recognize later in their careers the high level of their learning and were grateful to John.
John was deeply attached to the UBC Geological Field School in Oliver, BC., where he taught throughout his career. At Oliver, he presented the students with an area of multiple deformations in metamorphic rocks that was approached through a field of asparagus. The students enjoyed the asparagus, though some were greatly challenged by the exercise.
In his honour, the Dr. John V. Ross Memorial Field School Fund has been established and is accepting contributions. We offer our condolences to John’s family, friends and colleagues in the EOAS community.