The Influence of the University of Heidelberg on the Development of Geology in North America Between 1860 and 1913

The University of Heidelberg, in Heidelberg, West Germany, had a significant influence on the development of the geological sciences in North America between 1860 and 1913. During these years, in a reversal of the current scene, the brightest young scientists of North America came to Europe to pursue graduate studies. Of these scientists, twelve came to Heidelberg to study the geological sciences and then returned to North America to make significant contributions in their field. For example, two students developed the CIPW normative calculations; one performed the first quantitative laboratory experiments, duplicating rock deformation in the earth's crust; another student became the first "geologist-in-charge" of the United States Geological Survey (USGS); and a fifth mapped Yellowstone before it was a national park. The students came to Heidelberg to learn the newest techniques from professors such as Rosenbusch, Bunsen, and Salomon-Calvi. They also learned to develop theories based on the technique of detailed and careful observation that these men used. They caught the excitement about the world around them exuded by these same men, and they, in turn, spread what they had learned in Heidelberg when they returned to North America as professors and members of the USGS.