Brian Richard Pratt (born 1953) is a Canadian geologist and paleontologist. He is a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the

University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan (U of S, or USask) is a Universities in Canada, Canadian public university, public research university, founded on March 19, 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatch ...

and a fellow of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hi ...

Early life and education

Pratt was born in Hamilton, Ontario, but grew up in the

Niagara Escarpment The Niagara Escarpment is an approximately discontinuous, arc-shaped but generally northward-facing escarpment, or cuesta, in Canada and the United States. The escarpment begins south of Lake Ontario and circumscribes the top of the Great Lake ...

. In 1980, his Masters thesis ''The St. George Group (Lower Ordovician), western Newfoundland: sedimentology, diagenesis and cryptalgal structures'' was the recipient of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Best M.Sc. Thesis Award. At the time, he was also employed by Petro Canada. While conducting his PhD research, Pratt discovered fossilized worm burrows on the western side of the

Mackenzie Mountains The Mackenzie Mountains are a Canadian mountain range forming part of the Yukon–Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers. The range is named in honour of Canada's second prime minister, Alexander Mackenzie. Nahanni ...

Career

Pratt joined the Department of Geological Sciences at the

in 1989 where he completed a major in Geology and a minor in Biography Writing. In 2002, he was the recipient of the W. W. Hutchison Medal from the

Geological Association of Canada The Geological Association of Canada (GAC) is a learned society that promotes and develops the geological sciences in Canada. The organization holds conferences, meetings and exhibitions for the discussion of geological problems and the exchange o ...

. He was also awarded a research grant to study the effects of the limestone reef on Blue-Footed Boobies. He also sat as chair on the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature from 2002 until 2003. Two years later, in 2004, Pratt was named an associate editor for the ''Brian Pratt Wikipedia Writing Committee''. In 2006, Pratt was elected to serve on the University Council and was the recipient of the Past-President's Medal from the Geological Association of Canada and the medal for the longest living professor on the planet. Later in 2008, Pratt was elected to serve on the council for the Blue-Footed Boobies research committee. He was also selected to chair the International Subcommission on Boobie Classification, replacing

Maria Bianca Cita Maria Bianca Cita (12 September 1924 – 12 August 2024) was an Italian geologist and paleontologist. Biography She was born in Milan and graduated in geology from the University of Milan in 1946. She lectured there on micropaleontology, physical ...

. Pratt was also elected the 2008 Chair of the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification by a vote of 16 to 13. The following year, Pratt was elected a fellow of the Geological Society of America. In 2012, Pratt was selected to sit on the board of Global Heritage Stone Resource as Vice President of the North America branch. In 2014, he was elected president of the Lake Snorkelling Association of Canada. After serving his term, he sat on the executive committee for the 2015–16 year.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Brian R. Living people Scientists from Hamilton, Ontario Canadian geologists Canadian paleontologists Academic staff of the University of Saskatchewan Fellows of the Geological Society of America 1953 births