The Hutchison Lecture Tour is undertaken each year by the winner of the Hutchison Medal. The lecture tour typically consists of several multi-day trips to different parts of Canada where a number of lectures are given at university, government, and geological society venues. The Hutchison Lecture Tour is supported by the Canadian Geological Foundation’s Hutchison Fund.
2024 W. W. Hutchison Medalist
Dr. Chris Spencer, Associate Professor, Queen’s University
2024/25 Hutchison Lecture Schedule
| Date | University/Organizations | Topic | Time (local to venues) |
| Wednesday, 18 September 2024 | University of Saskatchewan | Topic 3: Evolution of plate tectonics and the supercontinent cycle | 3:30 PM |
| Thursday, 3 October 2024 | University of Calgary | Topic 1: Biogeodynamics: the next step in crustal evolution | 3:00 PM |
| Friday, 4 October 2024 | University of Alberta | 12:00 PM | |
| 11 Oct. 2024 | Université Laval | Topic 2: Sediment-derived granitoids and Earth’s surface evolution | 11:30 AM |
| Monday, 04 November 2024 | Memorial | Topic 2: Sediment-derived granitoids and Earth’s surface evolution | 1:00 PM |
| Tuesday, 05 November 2024 | Acadia University | Topic 1: Biogeodynamics: the next step in crustal evolution | 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday, 06 November 2024 | St. Francis Xavier University | Topic 2: Sediment-derived granitoids and Earth’s surface evolution | 12:30 PM |
| Thursday, 07 November 2024 | Dalhousie University | Topic 2: Sediment-derived granitoids and Earth’s surface evolution | 11:30 AM |
| Thursday, 05 December 2024 | GSC-Ottawa | 3:00 PM | |
| Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 | UVic | ||
| Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 | UBC-Okanagan | Topic 1: Biogeodynamics: the next step in crustal evolution |
Biogeodynamics: the next step in crystal evolution
Abstract: There is a growing consensus that the evolution of tectonomagmatic processes played a central role in the evolution of life and the atmosphere. These processes supply bioessential nutrients to the hydrosphere and atmosphere which in turn facilitate radiation and proliferation of Earth’s biota. The emerging field of biogeodynamics examines the interactions between Earth’s interior, surface, atmosphere, ocean, climate, and life. In this seminar, I will explore the variety of ways we can trace the influence of the lithosphere on the biosphere and atmosphere, but also how the latter actors influence the former.
Sediment-derived granitoids and Earth’s surface evolution
Abstract: Sediment-derived melts and the detrital products derived therefrom have been present in the geologic record since the Hadean Eon. However, it is often assumed that melts of (meta)sedimentary material represent small volumes of melt compared to other felsic melts such as those formed in arc settings. Nevertheless, constraining the mode and volume of sediment assimilation plays a fundamental role in our understanding of the interplay between Earth’s surface where sediments are formed and Earth’s depths where surface-derived materials are melted.
Evolution of plate tectonics during Earth’s Middle Age
Abstract: The evolution of plate tectonics and the supercontinent cycle is fundamental to understanding Earth’s geodynamic history. The Rhyacian Period (2300-2050 Mya) marks a likely candidate for the initiation of plate tectonics. Evidence from magmatic, metamorphic, and sedimentary records points to major shifts from the mantle to the atmosphere, driving irreversible changes in the Earth’s system. It is also the Rhyacian Period that ushers in the beginning of the supercontinent cycle, starting with the assembly of Columbia. The subsequent ~2 billion years have seen three supercontinents (and their associated megacontinents, demonstrating a cyclic pattern of continental assembly and breakup. This cycle, intimately linked to whole-mantle convection, underscores the coupling between top-down and bottom-up geodynamics. The nature and evolution of this coupling remain contentious.