Jacques R. Beland *53

Body

Jacques Béland, retired professor of geology at the University of Montreal, died May 7, 2013, at the age of 90.

Born in Quebec, Canada, Béland earned a bachelor’s degree in 1944 from the College of St. Anne de la Pocatière, and then bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from Laval University in 1948 and 1949, respectively. He was awarded a Ph.D. in geology from   Princeton in 1953.

From 1952 to 1962, he was a senior geologist with the Quebec Department of Mines and Natural Resources, working in southern Quebec (Precambian) and then in   southeastern Quebec (Paleozoic).

In 1962, Béland was appointed professor of geology at the University of Montreal, became chair of his department in 1966, and retired in 1989. He was an expert in understanding the stratigraphy, structure, and tectonic evolution of the Appalachian rocks of Quebec. His stimulating lectures encouraged many students to pursue geological careers.

Béland is survived by Suzanne, his wife of 60 years.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.

No responses yet

Join the conversation

Plain text

Full name and Princeton affiliation (if applicable) are required for all published comments. For more information, view our commenting policy. Responses are limited to 500 words for online and 250 words for print consideration.

Paw in print

Image
The cover of PAW’s November 2025 issue, featuring a photo of a space probe and the headline "Made in Princeton."
The Latest Issue

November 2025

NASA’s new IMAP mission, London’s big data detective, AI challenges in the classroom.