Norman L. Bowen (1887-1956), Mit Class of 1912, First Predoctoral Fellow of the Geophysical Laboratory

One of the great pioneers in experimental petrology, Norman Levi Bowen bridged geology and physical chemistry. Trained at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, where he received prizes in both mineralogy and chemistry, he then studied under Reginald A. Daly at MIT. On the advice of T. A. Jaggar and with the encouragement of C. H. Warren of MIT, he undertook an experimental thesis study on the nepheline-anorthite system at the Geophysical Laboratory on the suggestion of its director. A. L. Day. Bowen was the first Predoctoral Fellow of the Laboratory. The results were accepted by MIT as partial fulfillment of the Ph. D. degree in 1912, the third Ph. D. degree to be issued by their Department of Geology. By the end of 1912, Bowen had six field seasons and eight publications to his credit. Within the next three years he laid out the physico-chemical methodology for the solution of problems in igneous petrology in "The later stages of the evolution of the igneous rocks." The greatness of Norman Levi Bowen stems from his clear exposition of physicochemical principles and their application to major complex geological field problems.