The 2001 W.A. Johnston Medal

The W.A. Johnston Medal is the highest award of the Canadian Quaternary Association. This award recognizes professional excellence in Quaternary research by Canadian scientists or those who have made significant contributions to our knowledge of the Canadian Quaternary and the training of students who conduct Quaternary research in Canada. The Johnston Medal was named after William Albert Johnston, born in 1874 in Aberarder, Ontario. Johnston spent most of his career with the Geological Survey, from which he retired in 1939. A prolific writer, he produced over sixty publications on a variety of topics. Johnston’s research helped elucidate the former limits of the eastern glacial Great Lakes, as well as historical drainage routes through the North Bay, Trent and Sarnia outlets. His examinations of the surficial geology of the Ottawa-Georgian Bay region revealed the extent of isostatic uplift in the area and more accurately defined the western limits of the Champlain Sea transgression in the Ottawa Valley. In central Canada, Johnston spent many years investigating the areal limits of glacial Lake Agassiz. He helped to establish suitable water supplies for Regina and Moose Jaw, and was one of the foremost authorities on placer gold deposits in Canada. Johnston conducted extensive studies of the Fraser River and its delta, and was instrumental in helping to improve navigation in the area. The first Johnston Award was made in 1987. The contributions of eight other scientists have been recognized since (see Table). With such a short history, making a choice among the many scientists worthy of the award has been difficult for the CANQUA members who have served on the Johnston Award committee. We are grateful to them for their service. In 2001 the decision was particularly difficult, and the award was made to two individuals: Dr. Weston Blake, Jr. and Dr. Derek Ford. Congradulations from all CANQUA members. Citations by the nominators and responses of our award winners follow. Weston Blake, Jr., who is currently an Emeritus Research Scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada, has worked on Quaternary research throughout his career. Although he has many important research accomplishments to his credit, foremost among these was his proposition that the Innuitian Ice Sheet covered the Canadian High Arctic during the last glaciation, an idea that is now widely accepted after some 30 years of heated debate. He has encouraged and promoted many young scientists who now are well established Quaternary researchers. Moreover, he has been perhaps the most devoted and hard working CANQUA supporter this country has ever had! If someone asks Wes what he feels his greatest achievement has been, he says that he is especially proud of the accomplishments of the young students and field assistants who went with him to places such as Ellesmere Island. Almost all now enjoy very successful academic/government/research careers, and in most cases they have continued work on a variety of northern Quaternary subjects. Wes continues his arctic research even in “retirement”; for example, last summer (2001) he celebrated his 50th year of arctic fieldwork! Although Wes seems firm at claiming his main accomplishment has been the encouragement of other, younger scientists to take up Quaternary subjects, his personal scientific research legacy is very strong indeed. In many areas of the Arctic, such as Svalbard, Bathurst, Devon and Baffin islands, there were no ¹⁴C determinations at all when Wes began his career, and in other areas, such as Ellesmere Island and northwest Greenland, there were very few dates. When Wes came to the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) in 1962, the radiocarbon lab had just opened the previous year. Wes was instrumental in setting …