Hans J. Hofmann
Encyclopedia
Hans J. Hofmann
was an award winning paleontologist
, specializing in the study of Precambrian
fossils using computer modelling
and image analysis to quantify morphologic attributes
.
Born in Germany, Hofmann immigrated to Montreal, Canada and studied geology at McGill University
, where he earned a Ph.D. under the supervision of T. H. Clark
. He taught for three years at the University of Cincinnati
and then worked at the Geological Survey of Canada. He was a professor in the geology department of the Université de Montréal
for 31 years (1969–2000). He spent the last ten years of his life as a researcher in the Redpath Museum
and an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill.
The National Academy of Sciences
noted him for, “his pioneering discoveries of fossils that have illuminated life's early evolution, from Archean
stromatolites and Proterozoic
cyanobacteria, to the rise of multicellular organisms."
Hofmann’s contributions have shed light on the biologic
, stratigraphic
, and evolution
ary significance of various stromatolites, microfossils, macrofossils, and trace fossil
s.
was an award winning paleontologist
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
, specializing in the study of Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
fossils using computer modelling
Computer simulation
A computer simulation, a computer model, or a computational model is a computer program, or network of computers, that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system...
and image analysis to quantify morphologic attributes
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
.
Born in Germany, Hofmann immigrated to Montreal, Canada and studied geology at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, where he earned a Ph.D. under the supervision of T. H. Clark
T. H. Clark
Thomas Henry Clark, Ph.D., FRSC was a Canadian geologist who is considered to have been one of the nation's top scientists of the 20th century. He was a professor who authored over 100 scientific publications. After his death, a mineral was named in his honour.Clark was born in London, England...
. He taught for three years at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
and then worked at the Geological Survey of Canada. He was a professor in the geology department of the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
for 31 years (1969–2000). He spent the last ten years of his life as a researcher in the Redpath Museum
Redpath Museum
The Redpath Museum is a museum of natural history belonging to McGill University and located on the university's campus at 859 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built in 1882 as a gift from the sugar baron Peter Redpath. It houses collections of interest to ethnology,...
and an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill.
The National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
noted him for, “his pioneering discoveries of fossils that have illuminated life's early evolution, from Archean
Archean
The Archean , also spelled Archeozoic or Archæozoic) is a geologic eon before the Paleoproterozoic Era of the Proterozoic Eon, before 2.5 Ga ago. Instead of being based on stratigraphy, this date is defined chronometrically...
stromatolites and Proterozoic
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic is a geological eon representing a period before the first abundant complex life on Earth. The name Proterozoic comes from the Greek "earlier life"...
cyanobacteria, to the rise of multicellular organisms."
Hofmann’s contributions have shed light on the biologic
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, stratigraphic
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
, and evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
ary significance of various stromatolites, microfossils, macrofossils, and trace fossil
Trace fossil
Trace fossils, also called ichnofossils , are geological records of biological activity. Trace fossils may be impressions made on the substrate by an organism: for example, burrows, borings , urolites , footprints and feeding marks, and root cavities...
s.
Awards
- 1995, Awarded the Willet G. Miller MedalWillet G. Miller MedalThe Miller Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada given for outstanding research in any branch of the earth sciences.In 1941, twelve friends of Willet Green Miller, FRSC , a distinguished geologist, and a guiding force in the development of the Ontario mining industry, subscribed funds to...
by the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada... - 2002, Awarded the Charles Doolittle Walcott MedalCharles Doolittle Walcott MedalCharles Doolittle Walcott Medal is an award presented by the National Academy of Sciences every five years to promote research and study in the fields of Precambrian and Cambrian life and history. The medal was established and endowed in 1934 by the Walcott Fund, a gift of Mary Vaux Walcott, in...
by the National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...