Nova Scotian Institute of Science - Hall of Fame
- Jonathan Ewart Blanchard
- Born : 22 Mar 1921, Truro, Nova Scotia
- Died : 22 Aug 2003, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Field: Geophysicist
Blanchard received his B.Sc. from
Dalhousie University and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Returning to
Nova Scotia, he joined the Physics Department at Dalhousie University where
he was the first geophysicist. At the same time, he was appointed the
Director of the Geophysics Division at the Nova Scotia Research Foundation Corporation
(NSRFC). At NSRFC, Blanchard employed a variety of geophysical techniques to
investigate the distribution and areal extent of minerals, evaporite deposits,
and coal deposits in Nova Scotia.
This work, utilizing many of these geophysical methods in Nova Scotia for the
first time, was a major contribution to the exploration and development of
these resources. Blanchard also supervised many students, some of whom went on to
be prominent members of the geophysical community.
In conjunction with other Federal and Provincial agencies Blanchard's group developed
new knowledge of the crust underlying the Province of Nova Scotia, and the stress factors
involved in the Springhill "bumps". When the need developed, he brought in
new equipment including the hammer seismograph, boomer and sparker continuous
seismic profiling, and a slim hole gamma logging probe. His numerous
publications on applied geophysics, together with papers delivered at national
and international conferences helped publicize the province and its mineral
potential. His expertise was recognized by his appointment to national and
provincial geoscience advisory committees.
In 1968, Blanchard was appointed President of NSRFC.
Under his leadership the organization evolved from a small
laboratory into the research and development agency, today called INNOVA
Corp. He served on many scientific boards and councils; he was for a
long time a member-at-large for the Canadian Commission of UNESCO.
He was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1968. He
received an honorary LLD from Dalhousie in 2000.