Gilbert F. White

  • Gustavson Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography
  • Founder of the Natural Hazards Center (Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center)
  • Floodplain Management
  • Flood Hazards
  • Landmark Research
  • Ph.D. University of Chicago, 1942
Gilbert White

Taught in the Geography Department from 1970-1978. 

Notable Accomplishments: 

  • Served in the New Deal administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the secretary to the Mississippi Valley Committee, 1934-1940. 
  • President of Haverford College, 1946-1955 (the youngest college president in the United States at the time).
  • President of the Association of American Geographers (AAG), 1961-1962. 
  • Received the American Geographical Society's (AGS) Daly Medal in 1971. 
  • Elected into the National Academy of Sciences, 1973. 
  • Established the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center (now named the Natural Hazards enter) in 1976. 
  • Created the Boulder Creek Flood Notebook, 1994. 
  • Known as the "father of floodplain management". 
  • The Gilbert F. White Dissertation Award was named in honor of Professor Emeritus Gilbert F. White, this fellowship provides funding to outstanding PhD. students in the final year of dissertation preparation.
  • Received honorary doctorates from the University of Colorado, Earlham College, Hamilton College, Haverford College, Michigan State University, Swarthmore College, Augustana College and the University of Arizona.
  • See his full biography here.
  • Biographical Memoir written by his student and college, Robert W. Kates, for the National Academy of Sciences.

Gilbert F. White passed away on October 5, 2006 at the age of 94. See "Gilbert F. White, 94, Geographer, Environmentalist, and Pioneer in Flood Plain Management and Natural Disaster Research, Dies"