Preston Cloud
Encyclopedia
Preston Ercelle Cloud, Jr. (September 26, 1912 – January 16, 1991) was an American
paleontologist
, geographer
, and professor
. He was best-known for his work on the geologic time scale
and the origin of life on Earth
.
and grew up in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
where he developed a love for the outdoors. Preston had a weak high school record. Upon graduating from high school, Cloud spent three years in the United States Navy
(1930-1933) where he excelled at boxing
.
, Preston paid for his own first semester at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
.
An influential figure in Cloud's life was Dr. Ray Bassler, a professor and the curator
of paleontology at the National Museum of Natural History
. Bassler noticed Cloud's interest in his work, and he arranged for the student to work at the museum. Later on, he worked with G. Arthur Cooper, a paleontologist and stratigrapher
. Under Cooper, Preston learned much about fossil
s, especially those of brachiopod
s. He worked full-time at the museum, but he graduated in 1938, earning a Bachelor of Science
degree
. Cooper financially allowed for Preston to attend Yale University
, which he did.
In 1961, Preston focused on academia. He was the chairman of the geology department at the University of Minnesota
for four years. As the professor of biogeology, he spent three years at the University of California
at Los Angeles and six years at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
In 1972, Preston coined the term "Hadean" for the Hadean
geologic eon, referring to the Earth's magma state of constant heat by using the Greek
word for the Underworld
.
Cloud was a member of the National Academy for thirty years, he was chairman of the Geology Section and occupied positions in its Council and Executive Committee.
In Santa Barbara, Preston met and married Janice Gibson, an opera singer and mother of three children herself.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, geographer
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. He was best-known for his work on the geologic time scale
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
and the origin of life on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
Early life
Cloud was born in West Upton, MassachusettsUpton, Massachusetts
Upton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Upton-West Upton, please see the article Upton-West Upton, Massachusetts....
and grew up in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro is a borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, located northwest of Baltimore, Maryland, 67 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The population within the borough limits was 9,614 at the 2000 census. When combined with the surrounding...
where he developed a love for the outdoors. Preston had a weak high school record. Upon graduating from high school, Cloud spent three years in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(1930-1933) where he excelled at boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
Higher education
Despite the difficulties of finding employment and getting into a four year college during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Preston paid for his own first semester at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
An influential figure in Cloud's life was Dr. Ray Bassler, a professor and the curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of paleontology at the National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
. Bassler noticed Cloud's interest in his work, and he arranged for the student to work at the museum. Later on, he worked with G. Arthur Cooper, a paleontologist and stratigrapher
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
. Under Cooper, Preston learned much about fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s, especially those of brachiopod
Brachiopod
Brachiopods are a phylum of marine animals that have hard "valves" on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, while the front can be opened for feeding or closed for protection...
s. He worked full-time at the museum, but he graduated in 1938, earning a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. Cooper financially allowed for Preston to attend Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, which he did.
In 1961, Preston focused on academia. He was the chairman of the geology department at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
for four years. As the professor of biogeology, he spent three years at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Los Angeles and six years at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
In 1972, Preston coined the term "Hadean" for the Hadean
Hadean
The Hadean is the geologic eon before the Archean. It started with the formation of the Earth about 4.7 Ga and ended roughly 3.8 Ga, though the latter date varies according to different sources. The name "Hadean" derives from Hades, Greek for "Underworld", referring to the "hellish"...
geologic eon, referring to the Earth's magma state of constant heat by using the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word for the Underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
.
Cloud was a member of the National Academy for thirty years, he was chairman of the Geology Section and occupied positions in its Council and Executive Committee.
Personal life
In graduate school, Preston was engaged to Mildred Porter. When Preston resigned from Harvard, they were divorced. In his time at Washington, he married Frances Webster, with whom he had three children, Karen, Lisa and Kevin. As Preston left for Minnesota, they were divorced, but kept in touch because of the children.In Santa Barbara, Preston met and married Janice Gibson, an opera singer and mother of three children herself.
Awards
- 1941, awarded the A. Cressey Morrison Award in Natural History, New York Academy of Science
- 1956, awarded the Rockefeller Public Service Award
- 1956, elected an honorary fellow of the Paleontological Society of India
- 1959, awarded the Department of Interior Distinguished Service Award
- 1971, awarded the Paleontological Society of America Medal
- 1973, awarded the Lucius Wilbur Cross Medal
- 1973, elected to the American Philosophical SocietyAmerican Philosophical SocietyThe American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
- 1976, awarded the Penrose MedalPenrose MedalThe Penrose Medal was created in 1927 by R.A.F. Penrose, Jr. as the top prize awarded by the Geological Society of America to those who advance the study of geoscience.-Award winners:* 2011 Paul F. Hoffman* 2010 Eric J. Essene* 2009 B. Clark Burchfiel...
by the Geological Society of AmericaGeological Society of AmericaThe Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose... - 1977, 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... - 1980, elected a Foreign Member, Polish Academy of SciencesPolish Academy of SciencesThe Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
Sources
- John C. Crowell: Preston Cloud – September 26, 1912–January 16, 1991. National Academy of Sciences, Biographical Memoirs V. 67, 1995
- Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 136, No. 2 (Jun., 1992), pp. 280-287