History of Iowa State: People of Distinction

Sponsored by the University Archives, Iowa State University Library

Copyright 2006

Gordon Eaton

Gordon Pryor Eaton (1929), a native of Ohio, received the B.A. in geology from Wesleyan University in 1951. He served on the faculties of Wesleyan University (1955-1959) and the University of California at Riverside (1959-1967). While on academic leave from UC-Riverside, he served as project chief for the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver, CO from 1963-65. Upon his return, Dr. Eaton served as chair of the Department of Geosciences (1965-67). After leaving UC-Riverside, Dr. Eaton worked for the U.S. Geological Survey in several administrative and scientific positions. He returned to higher education in 1981 as dean of the College of Geosciences at Texas A&M. In 1983, Dr. Eaton assumed the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs at Texas A&M, a position he held until his appointment as president of Iowa State University in 1986. In 1990 Dr. Eaton resigned to become director of the Columbia University's Lamont -Doherty Geological Observatory. Middleton, Conn., and the University of California, Riverside. In 1994, Dr. Eaton was appointed by President Clinton as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. He retired in 1997.

During Eaton's four years at Iowa State, his administration saw greatly enhanced faculty salaries, significant increases in support for research, improvement in undergraduate
education and establishment of ongoing strategic planning.
 

Resources available online

Gordon Eaton Papers      

RS 2/12
University Archives, Iowa State University Library