R. Allan Freeze

Citation

The 2004 Distinguished Service Award will be presented to R. Allan Freeze at the Geological Society of America meeting in Denver this November in recognition of his pioneering contributions to quantitative studies in hydrogeology, his mentorship in the field through textbooks and teaching, and his service to the profession through work on numerous advisory committees for government agencies, industry, and academia.

Allan Freeze has contributed his skills as a hydrologic scholar, geological engineer, and private consultant to the hydrogeology profession for over 40 years. Although he began his career working as a field hydrologist in the Canadian provinces, by the mid-1960’s he had developed an international reputation as an expert in the numerical analysis of regional groundwater flow through a series of novel papers published in a new journal called Water Resources Research and through a series of bulletins published by the Geological Survey of Canada/Inland Waters Branch. By the mid-1990’s, Freeze was the author of over 100 technical and scientific publications covering a wide spectrum of topics (mapping groundwater systems; 2-D and 3-D modeling of regional flow; rainfall-runoff theory and streamflow generation; deep-well injection of waste; nuclear-waste disposal and waste management; stochastic analysis of subsurface flow; statistics of baseball batting orders; geotechnical studies of consolidation, land subsidence, slope stability, and damsite seepage; groundwater in mountainous terrains; Pb-Zn ore formation in sedimentary basins; hydrogeological decision analysis, risk assessment and data worth; history of science). The high quality of science embedded in these publications won him awards from GSA (O.E. Meinzer Award, 1974), American Geophysical Union, Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Geotechnical Society, American Institute of Hydrology, National Ground Water Association, and most recently, an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo.

Freeze’s service in professional societies, education, and student mentoring is of course equally highly regarded as his science and engineering. At the University of British Columbia he served as Professor of Geological Engineering for 18 years, which included a few years as Associate Dean for the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Freeze served as co-editor (with Jared L. Cohon) of Water Resources Research (1976-1980), co-organized GSA Penrose conferences, and served as president of the Hydrology Section of the AGU (1984-86). While at UBC he also taught, inspired, and supervised numerous students in hydrogeology, and published in 1979 (with co-author John A. Cherry) the book “Groundwater”, which became the most widely referenced textbook in hydrogeology. In 1991, Freeze left academia to devote more time to his family, his engineering consultancy, and his hobbies. Although retired both from academic and engineering work now, his latest book was just published in 2000: “The Environmental Pendulum: A Quest for the Truth About Toxic Chemicals, Human Health, and Environmental Protection” presents a deep and unique perspective on societal issues of groundwater contamination from a practical viewpoint of great interest to decision makers, economists, engineers, environmental health experts, lawyers, and hydrogeologists.

For his superb scientific and engineering leadership and mentorship in the hydrogeologic profession, the Hydrogeology Division takes great pride in presenting R. Allan Freeze with the Distinguished Service Award for 2004.

Photograph: Dr. Allan Freeze accepts the 2004 Distinguished Service Award from Division Chair Chris Neuzil (left) and Citationist Grant Garven (center) at the GSA Annual Meeting in Denver. Photo by Ed Harvey.