Gordon Alfred Swann (September 21, 1931 – May 22, 2014) was an American geologist. Born in Palisade, Colorado, he went to high school in Olathe, Colorado, and then served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956. He received his PhD from the University of Colorado in 1962, and studied the Precambrian geology of the Front Range of Colorado while working for U.S. Geological Survey. He is notable for his work with NASA and the training of the astronauts of the Apollo program in field geology.Gordan Alfred Swann, USGS page on Swann, June 2014.
Swann served as the Principal Investigator of the Apollo Lunar Geologic Experiment for Apollo 14Apollo 14 Preliminary Science Report, NASA Special Publication 272, 1971 and Apollo 15.Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report, NASA Special Publication 289, 1972 A part of the Montes Apenninus (south of Mons Hadley) at the Apollo 15 landing site was informally called the Swann Range in his honor by the astronauts.
Besides his work for NASA, Swann was an adjunct professor at the University of Northern Arizona.
In his non-academic life Swann was a Master at the Flagstaff Masonic Lodge.
Books and publications
Recognition
The asteroid 4082 Swann is named after him by the Minor Planet Center.(4082) Swann = 1984 SW3, IAU Minor Planet Center NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal American Institute of Professional Geologists Excellence Award Thirty Third Degree Scottish Rite Mason, plus two Albert Pike awards
References
Further reading
Primary sources
External links USGS Astrogeology Center – Gordon Alfred Swann