A.B. Magna cum laude, History and Science, Harvard University, 1962
Ph.D., History of Science, Harvard University, 1968
A California native, he came to Oklahoma in 1967. While teaching History of Science courses ranging from Antiquity to the twentieth century, he supervised to completion eleven Ph.D. students. In 1969, by vote of the undergraduate honors students he received the Glenn C. Couch Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. He served as Department Chair for 14 years. He was president (2012‒2016) of the International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO). For his work in the history of geology he has won awards from the national geological societies of the USA, Great Britain, and France. His OU honors include the Regents’ Award for Superior Professional and University Service (1994).