In Memoriam: Reflecting on the legacy of Geology’s Ned Brown

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In Memoriam: Reflecting on the legacy of Geology's Ned Brown

June 1, 2026

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Edwin H. "Ned" Brown, Professor Emeritus of Geology at Western Washington University (WWU). Ned passed away on May 24 at the age of 88. Ned is survived by his wife Linda, son Nicholas, and stepdaughter Lynley.

Ned earned his A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1960 and then an M.Sc. from the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1962. Following upon his work in New Zealand, Ned returned to the United States to work with Francis J. Turner at the University of California, Berkeley, finishing his Ph.D. in 1966. Ned joined the faculty at Western Washington State College (now WWU) in that same year. As one of the early faculty members in the Geology Department, Ned brought an immense passion for metamorphic geology, structural geology, and tectonics to Western. Ned taught at WWU until 1999, when he was honored with Professor Emeritus status. In that time, he served as the Geology Department Chair from 1983-1987, was awarded the WWU Paul J. Olscamp Excellence in Research Award in 1985, and was named as a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

Ned's early research advanced our understanding of phase relations in high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic rocks by integrating field observations, mineral chemistry, and rigorous phase equilibria analysis to reveal how mineral assemblages record subduction-zone conditions. Through graphical and compositional approaches, he clarified the stability relationships among key minerals, including pumpellyite, lawsonite, epidote, pyroxene, and amphibole across greenschist, blueschist, and eclogite facies, and demonstrated a systematic correlation between amphibole composition and metamorphic pressure at low- to medium-grade conditions. Collectively, these studies established a coherent framework linking mineral assemblages, bulk composition, and pressure-temperature conditions, which he later applied to interpret the metamorphic and tectonic evolution of high-pressure, low-temperature terranes in the North American Cordillera.

Ned's contributions to the tectonics of the North American Cordillera were wide-ranging, including papers on the structural and tectonic evolution of the Northwest Cascades and San Juan islands of Washington State, documenting the nature and origin of subduction-related terranes from the Franciscan in California to eclogites in Alaska, and the relationship between tectonics and magmatism in southern British Columbia and northwest Washington. Ned employed a variety of field- and lab-based techniques including structural geology, U-Pb geochronology, and metamorphic petrology to address the fundamental problems of terrane origin, accretion, and translation. After retirement he developed a long-lasting collaboration with Dr. George Gehrels and the University of Arizona LaserChron Center to study terranes of the northwest Cascades. He left a well-documented collection of samples and detailed field notes from throughout the Cordillera which have proved invaluable to current and future research with modern laboratory techniques. Ned also brought his research to the public through two beautifully illustrated books, "Geology of the San Juan Islands" and "Mountain Building Geology in the Pacific Northwest".

Perhaps Ned's greatest contribution to geology was his teaching and mentorship of undergraduate and master's students. He taught a version of petrology entirely in the field; his favorite course was the 9-week undergraduate field course, where he took students through the Mesozoic history of the Cordillera on a transect from the Franciscan accretionary wedge to the Colorado Plateau. Ned's wife Linda helped manage the camp and was a constant support. Students formed life-long friendships and interest in tectonics, many going on to graduate studies. Ned was the supervisor for 30 MS students and mentored many more who have gone on to academic and industry positions across the world. These students fondly remember Ned's ability to bush-whack, his insistence on quality field work and well-documented data, and discussions about big-picture questions around a campfire. Happy hour after the workday was a must, and Ned embodied the "work hard play hard" mentality. He took time to go on adventures with his students, climbing and skiing in the North Cascades. Even after he retired, upon moving to Tucson, Ned mentored students in petrographic and geochronologic techniques as a guest researcher at the University of Arizona.

In honor of Ned's mentorship, Paul Rady (WWU Geology M.S., 1980) established a fund to purchase and support vehicles for Geology Department field trips and gifted $5M to the Geology Department to support graduate student research and establish the Ned Brown Endowed Chair of Metamorphic Petrology and Tectonics. These gifts are a testament to Ned Brown's impact and will ensure his long legacy at Western Washington University.

- Emeritus Professor Liz Schermer and Professor Sean Mulcahy