In Memoriam
J. Freeman Gilbert (1931–2014)
of California Los Angeles in 1957–1959, followed by two years
James Freeman Gilbert, a renowned professor emeritus of geoas a senior research geophysicist at Geophysical Service, Inc., in
physics in the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of GeophysDallas, Texas. After joining Scripps, he held two Guggenheim
ics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) at Scripps Institution of
Fellowships, in 1964–1965 and in 1972–1973.
Gilbert was the second director of IGPP (1976–1988),
Oceanography, University of California San Diego, died in
following in the steps of founding director Walter Munk. ToPortland, Oregon, on 15 August 2014 from injuries related
gether, they established IGPP as a leading geophysical institute
to an auto accident. He was 83 years old.
A leading contributor in computational geophysics, seisin the world—a role it continues to occupy to this day.
In 1972, he was elected to the National Academy of Scienmology, earthquake sources, and geophysical inverse theory,
ces, and in 1981 he was awarded the Royal Astronomical SociGilbert was the author of numerous research papers, book
ety’s Gold Medal. He was the 1985
chapters, reviews, and other publirecipient of the Council of the Geologications.
“Since the moment he arrived at
cal Society of America’s Arthur L. Day
Scripps in 1961 after being recruited
Medal for outstanding contributions to
by Walter Munk, Freeman Gilbert
geologic knowledge, and in 1990 he
was recognized as a true pioneer in
won the Balzan Prize from the FondaEarth studies, armed with his knowlzione Internazionale Premio E. Balzan
edge and drive in applying modern
in Milan, Italy. In 1994, he was awarded
computational tools to seismic probthe Doctor Honoris Causa at Utrecht
lems,” said Margaret Leinen, director
University and, in the same year, was
named Foreign Associate of the Accadeof Scripps. “Scripps is extremely gratemia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome. In
ful for all of Freeman’s contributions
1999, the American Geophysical Union
to science and to the education and
training initiatives that he shaped at
(AGU) awarded Gilbert the William
Bowie Medal, the organization’s highest
Scripps and the young UC San Diego
honor that recognizes outstanding concampus.”
Gilbert was a leading expert in
tributions to fundamental geophysics
seismic research. With his Scripps coland for unselfish cooperation in releague George Backus in the 1960s,
search.
“In the mid-1960s at IGPP, FreeGilbert pioneered a method of ▴ J. Freeman Gilbert (1931–2014).
man Gilbert and George Backus colinverting data for problems such as
laborated on a series of papers in an area that was
Earth structure, a theory that changed the course of modern
to become known as geophysical inverse theory,” noted his
geophysical sciences and that is used throughout all physical
William Bowie Medal award citation. “Clearly, Freeman
sciences.
He was instrumental in establishing modern seismograph
and George are the fathers of this field, and the research they
networks, most notably the International Deployment of Acceldid at this time changed the course of the geophysical sciences,
erometers, a network built with the backing of his friend Cecil
broadly defined, forever.”
Gilbert received the 2004 Medal of the Seismological SoGreen (cofounder of Texas Instruments) that has transformed
ciety of America for outstanding contributions in seismology
modern earthquake studies, as well as areas such as nuclear
and earthquake engineering. In the SSA Medal nomination
test-ban treaty monitoring.
“Freeman is remembered as a mentor and friend to countspeech, James Brune noted that Gilbert’s direct and personal
less seismologists around the world. He will be sorely missed,”
involvement was a driving force behind the establishment and
noted current IGPP Director Guy Masters.
upgrade of the world’s seismographic network. “Thus he has
Born in Vincennes, Indiana, in August 1931, Gilbert beseminally contributed to much of the research of the last decades
came the valedictorian of his high school class, then went on to
in establishing the nature of the Earth’s interior—considerably
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and earned
beyond the impressive contributions of his own research puba B.S. in 1953 and a Ph.D. in geophysics in 1956. He spent his
lications,” Brune said.
summers prospecting for oil in Venezuela and copper in AriAlso in 2004, he received an honorary doctor of engineerzona. While at MIT, he was a National Science Foundation
ing degree from the Colorado School of Mines. He served on
several boards and committees, including the National Repostdoctoral fellow and a research associate (1956–1957).
He was an assistant professor of geophysics at the University
search Council and National Academy of Sciences’ Board on
doi: 10.1785/0220140174
Seismological Research Letters
Volume 85, Number 6
November/December 2014
1149
Earth Sciences and Resources, the IGPP external advisory committee, and the University of California Santa Cruz Institute
of Tectonics’ external advisory committee.
He was a senior fellow of the San Diego Supercomputer
Center, an honorary foreign fellow of the European Union of
Geosciences, and a fellow of the Geological Society of America,
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, AGU, and the
Explorers Club.
He is survived by Sally Gilbert, his wife of 55 years; his
children, Cynthia, Sarah, and James; sons-in-law Henry and
1150
Seismological Research Letters
Francisco, daughter-in-law Jennifer; and grandchildren Dominic, Elena, Stuart, and Tash.
Colleagues wishing to express condolences are invited to
submit messages for web posting to [email protected].
A memorial service at Scripps Institution of Oceanography took place on 13 October 2014.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California
San Diego
Volume 85, Number 6 November/December 2014
Published Online 8 October 2014