Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin

Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin
Chamberlin in the 1870s
Born	September 25, 1843 Mattoon, Illinois
Died	November 15, 1928 (1928-11-16) (aged 85) Chicago
Nationality	American
Fields	Geology
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Notable awards	Penrose Gold Medal (1924) Penrose Medal (1927)

Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin (Chrowder is /ˈkraʊdər/ KROW-dər) (September 25, 1843 – November 15, 1928) was an American geologist and educator. In 1893 he founded the Journal of Geology, of which he was editor for many years.

Chamberlin was born September 25, 1843 in Mattoon, Illinois. When he was three years old his family moved north to near Beloit, Wisconsin. His father was a Methodist circuit minister and farmer. He attended a preparatory academy before entering Beloit College, where he received a classical education in Greek and Latin, while becoming interested in natural science. While a student at Beloit he directed a church choir and participated in athletics and debate.

After graduation from Beloit College in 1866, Chamberlin worked for two years as a teacher and later principal in a high school near Beloit. He was married to Alma Wilson in 1867.

In 1868–1869, Chamberlin spent a year taking graduate courses, including geology, at the University of Michigan to strengthen his scientific background. Subsequently, (1869–1873) he became professor of natural science at the State Normal School in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He joined the Beloit faculty in 1873, where he was professor of geology, zoology, and botany. In 1873 he also became one of several part-time participants in conducting a comprehensive geological survey of Wisconsin. His geologic mapping work in southeastern Wisconsin, a region mantled with thick glacial deposits, led him to recognize multiple episodes of glaciation during the . His terminology for glacial stages in North America is still in use, with minor modifications.