Media Release Backgrounder

CITATION:
Harvey Thorleifson, Professor & Director, Minnesota Geological Survey

Geologist Harvey Thorleifson has a distinguished record in his field. He began his career by studying geology at the UWinnipeg and upon graduation in 1980, he earned the University's Gold Medal in Geography (Honors). In 1983 he completed a Masters thesis in Geology at the University of Manitoba on Lake Agassiz history and then in 1989 he earned his PhD in Geology at the University of Colorado in Boulder on Hudson Bay Lowland quaternary stratigraphy.

"On the basis of achievement, he was a distinguished student," said Bill Rannie, Professor & Chair of the Geography Department at The University of Winnipeg. "He wasn't just a student, he contributed to his school's governance while maintaining an extremely high level of achievement that has continued in his professional career."

Thorleifson is an avid researcher with more than 25 publications under his belt. His illustrious record of professionalism and knowledge in his field is reflected in the prestigious roles he has served in several geological associations, including:

  • President of the Geological Association of Canada
  • President of the Canadian Geoscience Council
  • Past Chair of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum of the Ottawa Branch

While working with the Geological Survey of Canada in Ottawa, he was known as the "Winnipeg Guy." The "Winnipeg Guy" made the city proud by building and managing a team of 100 scientists that researched the evolution and the history of Lake Winnipeg as well as that of Lake Agassiz.

As an internationally renowned geologist now based in the United States, he still maintains a close connection to city, the province and the University of Winnipeg.

"I have four brothers and we all have University of Winnipeg degrees," explained Thorleifson. "I was president of the Student Union. I was a voting member of the University's governance for four years. I consider all that an honor and an experience that lasts a life time."

Thorleifson's research contributed to work on indicator mineral methods in mineral exploration and geological mapping methods, including the development of innovative protocols for web-accessible 3D mapping.

Even with all his research commitments, Thorleifson still finds the time and determination to participate in triathlons all over the world, including six since 2006. This past April he completed the Ironman Triathlon in Arizona and in August 2006 he was in Iceland running the Reykjavik Marathon.

Presently Thorleifson is a professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Minnesota & the director of the Minnesota Geological Survey, which is a unit of the Newton Horace Winchell School of Earth Sciences at the University of Minnesota.

He is an Officer and Committee Chair with the Association of American State Geologists, is registered as a Professional Geoscientist in Ontario and is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. He is also involved in One Geology - a project whose aim is to create a dynamic digital geological map data of our planet to be accessible by all.