Don Turcotte, former Maxwell Upson Professor of Engineering, passed away at 92 in Davis, California. A pioneer in mantle dynamics and plate tectonics, he authored over 400 academic papers and co-wrote the key textbook "Geodynamics," shaping understanding in the field. After retiring from Cornell in 2002, he continued as a distinguished professor in California. Colleagues remember Turcotte for his innovative approach and ability to view complex geological phenomena through a mechanics-based lens, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive perspective in earth sciences.
Coming into earth sciences from his very mechanics-based perspective, he just saw so many unexplored areas of large-scale phenomenon, and he would look at them from a different perspective with great innovation and analysis.
Turcotte's prolific career included more than 400 academic papers, and he is remembered by his peers on both sides of the continent as an ever-curious intellect.
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