Agassiz, (Jean) Louis (Rodolphe)

Agassiz, (Jean) Louis (Rodolphe). 1807-1873.

Swiss-born American naturalist noted for his study of fossil fish and for recognizing from geologic evidence that ice ages had occurred in the Northern Hemisphere.

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born May 28, 1807, Motier, Switz.

died Dec. 14, 1873, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.

Swiss-born U.S. naturalist, geologist, and teacher.

After studies in Switzerland and Germany, he moved to the U.S. in 1846. He did landmark work on glacier activity and extinct fishes. He became famous for his innovative teaching methods, which encouraged learning through direct observation of nature, and his term as a zoology professor at Harvard University revolutionized the study of natural history in the U.S.; every notable American teacher of natural history in the late 19th century was a pupil either of Agassiz or of one of his students. In addition, he was an outstanding science administrator, promoter, and fund-raiser. He was a lifelong opponent of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. His second wife, Elizabeth Agassiz, cofounder and first president of Radcliffe College, and his son, Alexander Agassiz, were also noted naturalists.

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