William Fyfe

William Sefton Fyfe, CC, FRSC, FRS ( born June 4, 1927 in Ashburn, New Zealand, † November 11, 2013 in London, Ontario, Canada) was a New Zealand geologist and Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Geosciences at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. He was considered one of the most important geochemist.

Life and research activities

Fyfe studied at the University of Otago, acquired 1948 B.Sc., M.Sc. 1949 and Ph.D. 1952. According to a time when geology lecturer, he conducted research at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley. As a professor, he worked in Berkeley, before joining the Imperial College London and the University of Manchester in 1972 at the University of Western Ontario. From 1986 until his retirement in 1990 he was a research dean of the University of Western Ontario.

Early in his research, he dealt with the isomorphism of minerals and their behavior under high pressure and high temperature in the rock metamorphosis. In Canada, he later focused on the role of fluids in the formation of deposits, especially gold deposits, and the influence of tectonics on these operations. In this context, he explored the role of microorganisms in the concentration of metals. In addition, Fyfe examined the production of nutrients by geothermal processes in the oceans and the impact of burning coal on the environment. He used his knowledge of the geology of Canada and the movement of fluids in geological system in the exploration of repositories of nuclear waste, and was involved in research and prevention of soil erosion processes. Under his leadership, the Global Change Program was launched, which has a comprehensive investigation of the terrestrial bio-systems to the target.

Honors and Awards

• Fulbright Scholar of the Department of Geology (1952 - 1954)
• Guggenheim Fellow (1962 - 1983)
• Fellow of the Royal Society (since 1969)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
• Logan Medal of the Geological Association of Canada (1981 )
• Willet G. Miller Medal of the Royal Society of Canada (1985 )
• Companion of the Order of Canada (1989 )
• Honorary doctorate from Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Arthur L. Day Medal of the Geological Society of America (1990 )
• Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ( 1992)
• Honorary doctorate from the Saint Mary's University, Halifax (1994 )
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Otago and the University of Western Ontario (1995 )
• Roebling Medal of the Mineralogical Society of America (1995 )
• Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society of London ( 2000)
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta (2006)
• The asteroid ( 15846 ) Billfyfe is named in his honor.