Robert John Wilson Douglas (1920–1979) was a Canadian geologist who made contributions in the fields of structure stratigraphy, sedimentation, and petroleum geology.
Education
Douglas was awarded a Manly B. Baker Scholarship and graduated from Queen's University in geology and mineralogy. He obtained a Ph.D. degree in geology from Columbia University.
Career
Douglas worked as a student assistant for the Geological Survey of Canada. He left the Survey for three years to serve as a navigator with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Douglas has contributed to our understanding of the structure of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and northern Canada. His exposition of the mechanics of bedding plane thrusts, of back-limb thrust faults and folding of the thrusts forms the basis for the later work carried out in these areas.
Douglas also studied the stratigraphy of the Mississippian system in southern Alberta. These studies provided a detailed description and classification of carbonate rocks and theories on the formation of oil and gas reservoirs.
Personal life
Douglas and his wife Winnifred lived in Ottawa, Ontario with their three children, Isabel, Robert and Gordon. He died of a heart attack in 1979.
Positions held
1961-1963, member of the Canadian National Committee, 6th World Petroleum Congress 1962-1964, member of the Program Committee of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists 1962-1965, served as Associate Editor of the Geological Society of America Member of the Geological Survey of Canada Committees on Stable Isotopes and Age Determination, and on Library, Stratigraphic Nomenclature Committee member on the Geology Advisory Committee of the Alberta Research Council
Honors and awards
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Fellow of the Geological Society of America
Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Member of the Alberta Society of Petroleum Geologists
Member of the National Geographic Society
1965, awarded the Willet G. Miller Medal by the Royal Society of Canada
1976, awarded the Logan Medal by the Geological Association of Canada
1980, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists begins awarding the R. J. W. Douglas Medal
Select publications
Douglas, R. J. W. (1970) Geology and economic minerals of Canada. Geological Survey of Canada. Price, Raymond A.; Douglas, R. J. W. (1972) Variations in tectonic styles in Canada. Toronto: Geological Association of Canada. Douglas, R. J. W. (1981) Callum Creek, Langford Creek, and Gap map-areas, Alberta Ottawa and Hull, Quebec: Geological Survey of Canada.