JOSEPH HOOVER MACKIN
(1905-1968)
Hoover Mackin was born on November 16, 1905, in Oswego, New York. He received a
BA degree from New York University in 1930. He earned MA and PhD degrees from
Columbia University in 1932 and 1937, respectively. Dr. Mackin spent 28 years
teaching at the University of Washington. In 1961 the Department of Geological
Sciences at UT-Austin embarked on the search for a world-class geologist to
occupy its first endowed faculty position, the William Stamps Farish
Professorship (later Chair). Mackin was appointed as a Visiting Professor at
UT-Austin to provide an opportunity for him to get a feel for the department and
the Austin community. He liked what he saw and he joined the faculty of the
University permanently a year later. Regarded as one of the foremost geologists
in the country and a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences,
Mackin had numerous research interests. His early work was in geomorphology and
his concept of "the graded river" became a mainstay in fluvial geomorphology. He
later undertook research in engineering geology, structural geology, and field
petrology. Hoover was also involved in the mission to land a man on the moon and
was one of four experts selected by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration to study the first lunar rock samples returned to earth.
Much of Dr. Mackins’s fieldwork was in the arid western part of the US. To the
lament of the many ranchers who complained that their once-flowing springs had
dried up in recent years, Mackin told them to cut down all trees along their
creeks and over much of their ranchland. Owing to the huge amounts of water that
trees transpire daily, this was practical advice-- but advice contrary to the
philosophy of shade-loving people.
Mackin chiefly taught geomorphology and structural geology. His dynamic
classroom style was matched by few peers. He would gladly take a guest lecture
in a colleague’s class on virtually any geologic subject. He was also the
epitome of the absent-minded professor: he twice reported his car stolen from
his campus parking lot, whereas he had only parked in a different lot from his
usual one. Campus police learned to drive him around campus until his "stolen
car" was found. Mackin hid keys to his office in several places in the Geology
Building because he could not always remember to bring one, and he was once seen
leaving the building wearing two hats.
Professor Mackin supervised four Master’s students and five PhD students during
his all too-short time as a faculty member in the Department.
In addition to membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the Geological
Society of America, Mackin served a two-year term as Chairman of the Earth
Sciences Division of the National Research Council.
Professor Hoover Mackin died on August 12, 1968. He was 62 years old.
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