1 The young Russell BlackREMEMBERING RUSSELL BLACK - A TRUE AFRICAN GEOLOGIST Mogessie, A1, Bowden, P2, Liégeois, J-P3, Bonin, B4, Cottin, J-Y2 1Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Graz, A-8020 Graz Austria. 2 UMR 6524 CNRS “magmas et volcans” Université Jean Monnet, F Saint Etienne, France 3Musée Royale de l’Afrique Centrale, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium 4Laboratoire IDES, UMR 8148 CNRS-UPS, Université Paris-Sud, F Orsay, France The young Russell Black
2 Father Scott Russell Black was born on June the 20th, 1930 in La Rochelle, France, from Scottish parents. This dual origin is certainly a major characteristic of Russell’s personality. He spent his first ten years in France, in La Rochelle, Pau and Niort. His father, initiator of the use of hollow glass floaters for fishing nets of trawlers in the twenties, encouraged his intellectual interests in many areas and in particular science. Jean-Paul Liégeois R. Black Dedication (Lithos 45, 1998)
3 After obtaining his Scottish Higher Leaving Certificate in 1946, he hesitated between going to Art School or to University. He finally decided for the latter but remains throughout an enthusiastic watercolour painter. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950 at the University of Aberdeen with First Class Honours in Geology –under Professor Phemister who sent him to Nigeria for fieldwork. Strongly impressed by three months fieldwork in Nigeria carried out during his studies, he opted for a job in the Colonial Service and returned to Nigeria to the Geological Survey based at Headquarers in Kaduna
4 1952 in Ecker, futur site d´excpérience nucléaire, Hoggar, AlgérieHis main scientific interest culminated with the Survey’s mapping of the Jurassic tin-zinc mineralized alkaline ring complexes on the Jos plateau in Nigeria. This led to the publication of the very first Memoir of the Geological Society of London in For this Memoir, all figures, and maps were drawn by Russell in a manner which combined both his artistic and scientific talents. 1952 in Ecker, futur site d´excpérience nucléaire, Hoggar, Algérie An example of some of his paintings in the 1950s: Hoggar, Algeria
5 1954 Marché de Zinder, Niger Following a few months in Dahomey (now Benin) during 1959, Russell was promoted in charge of BRGM-sponsored geological mapping of the ring complexes in the Damagaram region in southern Niger. During this period he painted extensively, and fell in love with the people and the scenery returning frequently during his African career to Zinder and Agadez, en route for research work in the Aïr, Niger, and Adrar des Iforas, Mali. Agadez 1961 1990 hotel de l´Air, Agadez, Niger He spent the following three years from October 1960 until June 1963 surveying the Aïr massif, covering a surface area of 60,000 km2 to the north of the Damagaram, constructing a geological map of the region with the aid of aerial photographs, and measured field sections.
6 Russell Black in EthiopiaRussell undertook in 1970 a 4year period as overseas Professor of Geology in the Institute of African Geology, University of Leeds, seconded to the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He had a vision of making the Department of Geology a center of excellence in East Africa in Geological training and research He initiated or strengthened the following activities in the Department of Geology, Addis Ababa University:
7 I-Enhancing Academic and Research ExcellenceInitiated rigorous and critical admission procedures for recruiting undergraduate students to the Department of Geology in order to ensure the fitness of students to out door activities. Initiated a scholarship scheme for academically outstanding students in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Ethiopia; the latter allocated some money for this purpose. Initiated the visiting lecturer’s scheme: he invited prominent scholars to the Department on a short term visiting scholar’s scheme. Prof. Schackelton and Prof. Fyfe, Aron Tazieff, J. Varet, Barberi , Marinelli etc. were among the many scholars who visited and lectured in the Department.
8 Furthermore, he strengthened the culture of seminars and lectures by visiting researchers in order to expose students and staff to new developments. Ensured that the Department’s standard was maintained in all levels of activities: e.g., Final year undergraduate students were evaluated by external examiners from overseas universities. Ensured that high-level field research was conducted by undergraduate students: e.g. the first geological maps of Addis Ababa city were made by undergraduate students of the Department. These maps still serve as a basis for further works.
9 II- Human Resources Development Ensured that staff and students of the Department pursue higher levels of education in fields of their choice; he further tried to nurture their inclinations by all means possible. He was a strong advocate of Ethiopianization of the Department and the University: he initiated the recruitment of Ethiopian staff from among the best graduates of the Department, as well as recruitment of Ethiopian professionals from other institutions. III- Physical and Financial Resources Development He solicited funds from the NERC (Natural Environmental Research Council, UK) and bought X-Ray Diffractometer, Crystallography samples, and field vehicle for the Department. He strengthened the Thin-Section Laboratory of the Department in such a way that it could generate funds from researchers working in Ethiopia.
10 Russell Black the ArtistRussell was not only a prominent geologist but also an accomplished artist. While in the field in remote areas in Ethiopia, he would wake up early in the morning and go sketching and painting water-colour portraits near the student’s campsite. He was always keen to record for posterity his working environment which first began during field trips in West Africa and elsewhere.
11 Russell and the Geological Society of Africa (GSAf)It was in 1973, using his good contacts with African colleagues, especially Prof. M.O. Oyawoye, and Kevin Burke at the University of Ibadan, south-western Nigeria, that he established the Geological Society of Africa (GSAf) in 1973 at the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He has been responsible for GSAf’s growth and was last present at the CAG21 in Orleans, France, where he was given a GSAf Special Merit Award for his services to Africa.
12 From 1974 until 1980 he was Head of a CNRS African geological research group in Montpellier at ‘Centre Géologique et Géophysique’ CGG. It was here that he focused the CGG on geological mapping of the eastern margin of the West African craton in the Adrar des Iforas, northern Mali, accompanied by his constant field companion, a white-coated Pyrenean mountain dog, Joyce who went everywhere in West Africa with him.
13 1988- Russell-Air-Barghot-From 1990 onwards, while based at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, Russell went back regularly to his field areas in Aïr, and the Proche-Ténéré verifying his observations and writing major scientific papers. 1990-Air-Struct Proche-Tenere-Russell 1988- Russell-Air-Barghot- Tschebarlare
14 1988-Air-Russell-marbres1990 Air-Russell-Jacques Air-Russell-Jacques Russell- Air 1990-Air-Russell-Jacques
15 1986 Paysage, Toscane Russell & José in Paris1992 Paysage cévenol, Ste Croix de Caderle During this period he also painted extensively in France, Italy for relaxation whilst on holiday with his wife. 1986 Fiesole, Toscane 1996 La Contie, Périgord
16 on his way back to France after a long winter field season in northern Africa.1990 Ghardala, Algérie 1987 Nouakchott, Mauritanie Russell-Qued-Iferouane Russell - Tilemsi
17 Russell Black & Jean Fabre in Paris
18 "Congratulations on your election as President of the African Geological Society. You should take as a model the Geological Society of London. I suggest by contacting Shell, Total, de Beers, Bruxelles, you will be able to receive funds to finance PhDs in various fields". Warm Congratulation. Warmest greeting and my best wishes to you and your family. R. Black Russell died in January 2009 a few months after his former student at the Geology Department, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (A. Mogessie) was elected President of the GSAf in November He was happy and wrote his last message on a watercolour Christmas card in December 2008:
19 Russell will be long remembered for years to come by his former students and colleagues with whom he worked and enjoyed fruitful cooperation. Thank You! References: 1.Jean-Paul Liégeois, Aberra Mogessie, Asfawossen Asrat, Metasebia Demissie, Peter Bowden,Bernard Bonin: Russell Black ( ) Obituary, African Journal of Earth Sciences Volume 55, Issues 3-4, October-November 2009, Pages 2. Peter Bowden, Jean-Paul Liégeois, Aberra Mogessie, Bernard Bonin and Jean-Yves Cottin (2010) pay tribute to Russell Black ( ), African geologist and gifted artist. The Geological Society online Special Publication: 3. Aberra Mogessie, Peter Bowden, Jean-Paul Liégeois, Bernard Bonin and Jean-Yves Cottin (2011) Remembering Russell Black: A true African Geologist . CAG23 Abstract Volume.