Fonds F1482 - Queen's University. Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering fonds

Geology was first taught at Queen's University at Kingston in 1858, by Dr George Lawson, Professor of Chemistry and Natural History. The first specialist in geology at the University was Robert Bell, who arrived at Queen's in 1861. When the Ontario School of Mining and Agriculture was established in 1893, it included separate departments of Geology and Mineralogy, headed by Professors Willet Miller and William Nicol, both of whom have major buildings at Queen's named in their honour. The two departments moved from Carruthers Hall to Ontario Hall in 1903, and subsequently to Miller Hall in 1930. The large Bruce Wing was added to Miller Hall in 1972. The Department of Geological Sciences was formed in 1950, when Geology and Mineralogy amalgamated. The Department has a long tradition of research in the fields of mineralogy-petrology, structural geology, and the geology of mineral deposits, along with research in sedimentary geology and geophysics. It is administered by the Faculty of Arts and Science, but offers undergraduate programs in both Arts and Science and the Faculty of Applied Science; in the latter, it offers a program in Geological Engineering with options in mineral exploration, geotechnical engineering, and geophysics. The Department also has one of the largest graduate programs at Queen's, as well as being one of the biggest geology departments in Canada.