Mack Gipson

Mack Gipson Jr. (September 15, 1931 – March 10, 1995) was an American geologist who became the second African-American man to obtain a Ph.D. in geology, Dr.James Christopher achieved the distinction first, Ohio state 1959, and is still alive today at 100 years old. The first female, African-American geologist to earn a PhD in the US was Marguerite Williams, who earned her degree in 1942. Gipson's career spanned decades in the petroleum industry as well as decades in academia.

Biography

Gipson was born in Trenton, South Carolina, on [September 15, 1931" and grew up on his grandmother's farm. He persuaded his grandmother to move to Augusta, Georgia, so that he could complete high school. Gipson became interested in science when he studied geology in junior high school and read The Earth and Life Upon It. He studied science and mathematics at nearby Paine College, financed initially by his mother, who borrowed money to get him started. After a decade of working in industry, Gibson returned to teaching in 1986 and joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina as a professor of geology.

Gipson was the founding advisor of the National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists (NABGG). in 1980, Gipson hosted a successful Ice Breaker/ Planning Session at his home for geologists of the Houston region looking for a network with other minority professionals in geoscience. The room was full of geoscience professionals with enthusiasm and energy. This excitement led to a series of meetings and the establishment of the NABGG in 1981. as well as the development of improved methods for studying clay mineralogy. He was the first to identify large-scale faceted peaks in the equatorial region of Mars from images returned by the Mariner 9.

His later research was focused mostly on collaborations studying potential petroleum reservoirs.

Honors and awards Gipson served as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Science Study Group on Geological Training and Research in the Republic of Zaire in 1972. In the mid-1990s, U. S. Secretary of Energy Hazel B. O'Leary appointed Gipson to the National Petroleum Council (US).

Gipson received many honors during his career. Among other awards, he was honored by Paine College with the Alumni Achievement Award, the President's Award, and the Presidential Citation. A teacher for many years, he was recognized as a member of the Outstanding Educators of America. The academic advising center at Paine College is named the Mack Gipson Jr., Tutorial and Enrichment Center.

Personal life Gipson married Alma Gadison in 1956 after being discharged from the army. They had 4 children together. Gipson also left behind an older sister by the name of Margaree Gipson Moore of Augusta, GA.