Alexis A. Julien

Alexis Anastay Julien (February 13, 1840 – May 7, 1919) was an American geologist who taught at Columbia University's School of Mines for many years.

Biography Julien was born in New York City on February 13, 1840. He graduated from Union College in 1859, but continued as a student in the chemical laboratory a year longer. In 1860 he went to the guano island of Sombrero as resident chemist, and continued there until 1864, also making studies of its geology and natural history, especially of its birds and land shells. He sent his collections to the Smithsonian Institution, for which he also made meteorological observations, this island being the most southerly under its direction. In 1862 he made a geological survey of the islets around St. Bartholomew for the Swedish government, receiving in recognition of his services a gold medal from the king of Sweden.

He married Annie Walker Nevius in 1882.

Selected works He made numerous contributions to scientific literature. Among his papers were: "On the Geological Action of the Humus Acids" (1879) "On Spodumene and its Alterations" (1879) "Building-Stones of New York City and Environs" (U. S. census reports, 1880) "The Durability of Building-Stones in New York City and Vicinity" (U. S. census reports, 1880) "The Genesis of the Crystalline Iron-Ores" (1882) "Notice on the Microscopical Examination of a Series of Ocean, Lake, River, and Desert Sands" (1884) "On the Variation of Decomposition in the Iron Pyrites, its Cause, and its Relation to Density" (1886)