John Menzies

Professor

Glacial Geology, Glacial Sedimentolgy, Micromorphology,  Drumlins, Till, Subglacial Environments

Glacial Gemorphology

Sedimentology

Glacial Micromorphology

Geomaterials

Biography

Career History

• 2000–present: Professor of Earth Sciences and Geography, Brock University
• 1997–2000: Chair of Geography, Brock University
• 1995–2000: Adjunct Professor of Geology, Graduate Program, McMaster University
• 1990–present: Professor of Geography, Brock University
• 1984–1990: Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Brock University
• 1982–1984: Chair, Department of Geography, Brock University
• 1977–1981: Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Brock University
• 1975–77: Higher Scientific Officer, Dept. of Soil Survey, Macaulay Institute of Soil Research, U.K .

Qualifications

• Professional Geoscientist, Ontario (Association of Professional Geologists)
• Ph.D. University of Edinburgh
• B.Sc. University of Aberdeen

Teaching

• ERSC 1F01 Planet Earth
• ERSC / Geog 2P05 Principles of Geomorphology
• ERSC / Geog 3P24 Glacial Geology / Geomorphology
• ERSC / Geog 4P24 Glacial Sedimentology
• Etc...

Research

Research into subglacial diamictons and landforms, non-glacial debris flows and other terrestrial and marine diamictons / diamictites.

Specific research interests and activities

• Glacial sedimentology at Lichtenegg, Baden-Wurttemburg
• Micromorphology of Antarctic marine diamictons
• Structural geology of tills
• The Science of GeoMaterials

Research student supervision (2000-2005)

• Holly Arnold (M.Sc., Brock)
• Lorna Linch (PhD, Queen Mary, UK)
• Christina Mandri (M.Sc., Brock)
• John M. Taylor (M.Sc., Brock)
• Mark Carpenter (M.Sc. – Wilfird Laurier)
• Carole Theler (Diplom. EPFL Lausaanne, CH)
• Nic Larsen (Ph.D. ,Aarhus. Denmark)

Publications

Books

• Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments . Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, U.K. 543 p.
• Menzies, J. (ed.), 1996. Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques . Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, UK, 598 p.
• Menzies, J. (ed.), 1995. Modern Glacial Environments: Processes, Dynamics and Sediments . Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, UK, 621 p.
• Menzies, J. and Rose, J. (Eds.), 1987. Drumlin Symposium: Proceedings of the Drumlin Symposium, First International Conference on Geomorphology, Manchester, 1985. Balkema, Rotterdam & Boston, 360 p.

 Refereed articles, Reports and Book Chapters (since 1995) 

• Menzies J. & Hess D.P. (2013) Depositional Features. In: John F. Shroder (ed.) Treatise on Geomorphology, Vol. 8, pp. 127-140. San Diego: Academic Press.

   

• Narloch, W., Piotrowski, J. A., Wysota, W., Larsen, N.K., Menzies, J. (2012) The signature of strain magnitude in tills associated with the Vistula Ice Stream ofthe Scandinavian Ice Sheet, central Poland, Quaternary Science Reviews 57, 105-120. doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.09.022.

• Menzies, J. & Ellwanger, D. 2012. Micromorphology of the Mannheim Formation taken from the UniNord Core, Heidelberg Basin Depocentre, Upper Rhine Graben. - LGRB-Informationen, v. 26: 87-106.

• Linch, L. D., van der Meer, J. J. M., and Menzies, J., 2012, Micromorphology of iceberg scour in clays: Glacial Lake Agassiz, Manitoba, Canada: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 55, 125-144.  doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.07.008.

• Menzies, J., Gao, C. & Kodors, C. 2012, Microstructural analyses of a Middle Pliocene till from the James Bay Lowlands, Canada—evidence of ‘‘potential’’ fast ice streaming. Proc. Geol. Assoc. (2012).doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2012.07.002. 

• Gao, C., McAndrews, J.H., Wang, X., Menzies, J., Turton, C.L., Wood, B.D., Pei, J., Kodors, C., 2012. Glaciation of North America in the James Bay Lowland, Canada, 3.5 Ma. Geology  doi:10.1130/G33092.1.

• Menzies, J. 2012 Strain pathways, till internal architecture and microstructures – perspectives on a general kinematic model – a ‘blueprint’ for till development. Quaternary Science Reviews 50:105-124. 

• Menzies, J., 2012. Jeremy P. Ingham, ,Geomaterials Under the Microscope: A Colour Guide (2011) Manson Publishing 978-1-84076-132-0 £50.00. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 123, 226-227.

• Menzies, J. & Ellwanger, D. 2011. Insights into subglacial processes inferred from the micromorphological analyses of complex diamicton stratigraphy near Illmensee-Lichtenegg, Höchsten, Germany. Boreas, 40 (2), 271-288. doi.10.1111/j.1502-3885.2010.00194.x.ISSN 0300-9483.
• Eyles, N., Eyles, C., Menzies, J. & Boyce, J. 2011. End Moraine construction by incremental till deposition below the Laurentide Ice Sheet: Southern Ontario, Canada. Boreas, Vol. 40, pp. 92-104. doi.10.1111/j.1502-3885.2010.00171.x.
• van der Meer, J.J.M. and Menzies, J. (2011) The micromorphology of unconsolidated sediments. Sedimentary Geology, 238 (3-4), 213-232. doi.org/10.10.16/j.sedgeo.2011.04.013
• Menzies, J. 2011. Glacial Geomorphology. In Gregory, K.J. & Goudie, A.S. (eds.) Handbook of Geomorphology, Chapter 22, 378-393.  SAGE Publications, London.
• Mahaney W.C.; Kalm, V.; Menzies, J.; Milner, M.W. 2010. Reconstruction of the Early Mérida, pre-LGM glaciation with comparison to Late Glacial Maximum till, northwestern Venezuelan Andes. Sedimentary Geology, 226, 29-41.
• Menzies, J., van der Meer, J.J.M., Domack, E., & Wellner, J.S. 2010. Micromorphology: as a tool in the detection, analyses and interpretation of (glacial) sediments and man-made materials Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 121, 281-292, doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2010.07.005.
• Menzies, J. 2009. Glacial Geomorphology. In : Gornitz, V. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments. Springer, 361–374.
• Menzies, J. 2009. Diamicton. In : Gornitz, V. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments. Springer, 278–279.
• Menzies, J. & Whiteman, C. 2009. A comparative analyses of microstructures from Late Jurassic diamictic units, near Helmsdale, Northeast Scotland and a Pleistocene diamicton from near Milton, southern Ontario, Canada – a differential diagnostic method of sediment typing using micromorphology. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw, 88(1), 75–94.
• Menzies, J. 2007. Glacial geology and landforms, McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, vol. 8, 104-115.
• Menzies, J. 2007. Glacial history, McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, vol. 8, 115-123.
• Larsen, N. K., Piotrowski, J. A. and Menzies, J. 2007. Microstructural evidence of low-strain, time-transgressive subglacial deformation. Journal of Quaternary Science 22, 593–608.
• Menzies, J., and Brand, U. 2007. The internal sediment architecture of a drumlin, Port Byron, New York State, USA. Quaternary Science Reviews 26, 322–335.
• Larsen, N.K., Piotrowski, J.A., Christoffersen, P. and Menzies, J., 2006. Formation and deformation of basal till during a glacier surge; Elisebreen, Svalbard. Geomorphology 81, 217–234.
• Menzies, J., van der Meer, J.J.M. and Rose, J., 2006.  Till-as a glacial "tectomict", its internal architecture, and the development of a "typing" method for till differentiation.   Geomorphology , 75 (1-2): 172–200.
• Piotrowski, J.A., Larsen, N.K., Menzies, J. and Wysota, W., 2006. Formation of subglacial till under transient bed conditions: deposition, deformation, and basal decoupling under a Weichselian ice sheet lobe, central Poland.   Sedimentology, 53 (1): 83–106.
• Menzies, J. 2004. Drumlins – streamlined terrain markers of glaciation, p. 72–75. In : Harrison, S. et al., (eds.), Patterned Ground, Reaktion Books, Routledge publishers U.K., 312 p.
• Mahaney, W.C., Dirszowsky, R.W., Milner, M.W., Menzies, J., Stewart, A., Kalm, V. and Bezada, M., 2004. Quartz microtextures and microstructures owing to deformation of glaciolacustrine sediments in the northern Venezuelan Andes. Journal of Quaternary Science, 19(1), 23–33.
• Menzies, J., 2003. Drumlins (#1) and Subglacial Geomorphology (#2) – invited contributions to the new Encyclopaedia of Geomorphology – A. Goudie (ed.) Publisher International Association of Geomorphologists with Routledge Press.
• Menzies, J., 2003. Tills and Tillites invited contribution to the Encyclopaedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks. In: G. Middleton et al., (eds.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, 744–747.
• Menzies, J. and Taylor, J.M., 2003. Seismically induced soft-sediment microstructures (seismites) from Meikleour, western Strathmore, Scotland. Boreas, 32, 314–327.
  
• Menzies, J. and Zaniewski, K. , 2003. Microstructures within a modern debris flow deposit derived from Quaternary glacial diamicton – a comparative micromorphological study. Sedimentary Geology, 157, 31–48.
• van der Meer, J.J.M., Menzies, J. and Rose, J., 2003. Subglacial till: the deforming glacier bed. Quaternary Science Reviews 22, 1659–1685.
• Menzies, J., 2002. Glacial environments – modern and past, p. 1–13. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J. (with contributions by Hughes, T.J.) 2002. Glaciers and ice sheets, p. 53–78. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments . Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 2002. Ice flow and hydrology, p. 79–130. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., and Shilts, W.W., 2002. Subglacial environments, p. 183–278. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Johnson, W.H., and Menzies, J., 2002. Supraglacial and ice-marginal deposits and landforms, p. 317–333. In: Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Rose, J., and Menzies, J., 2002. Glacial stratigraphy, p. 445–473. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 2002. Problems and perspectives, p. 475–481. In : Menzies, J. (ed.) 2002. Modern & Past Glacial Environments. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 2002. The Pleistocene Legacy: Glaciation. In : Orme, A.R. (ed.) The Physical Geography of North America. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, 36–54.
• Menzies, J., 2001. The Quaternary sedimentology and stratigraphy of small, ice-proximal, subaqueous grounding-line moraines in the central Niagara Peninsula, southern Ontario. Geographie physique et Quaternaire, 55 (1), 75–86.
• Menzies, J. , 2000. Micromorphological analyses of microfabrics and microstructures indicative of deformation processes in glacial sediments. In: Maltman, A.J. et al., (eds.) Deformation of Glacial Materials. Geological Society of London, Special Publication 176, 245–257.
• Menzies, J. , 2000. Microstructures within diamictites of the Lower Gowganda Formation (Huronian), near Elliot Lake, Ontario. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 35, 210–216.
• Hicock, S.R. and Menzies, J., 2000. Aleksis Dreimanis: a legacy in Quaternary Science. Quaternary Science Reviews, 19, 1665–1676.
• Menzies, J. and van der Meer, J.J.M., 1998. Sedimentological and micromorphological examination of Late Devensian multiple diamicton sequence near Moneydie, Perthshire, east-central Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 34(1), 15–21.
• Menzies, J. , and Taylor, E.M., 1998. Urban Geology of St. Catharines–Niagara Falls, Region Niagara. In : P.F. Karrow and O.L. White (eds.), Urban Geology of Canadian Cities. Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 42, 287–321.
• Menzies, J., Zaniewski, K., and Dreger, D., 1997. Evidence, from microstructures, of deformable bed conditions within drumlins, Chimney Bluffs, New York State. Sedimentary Geology, 111, 161–176.
• Menzies, J., 1996. Past Glacial Environments, p. 1–14. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., and Shilts, W.W., 1996. Subglacial Environments, p. 15–136. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Johnson, W.H., and Menzies, J., 1996. Pleistocene supraglacial and ice-marginal deposits and landforms, p. 137–160. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Rose, J., and Menzies, J., 1996. Glacial stratigraphy, p. 253–284. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques . Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 1996. Problems and perspectives, p. 479–485. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Past Glacial Environments: Sediments, Forms and Techniques. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 1995. Glacial environments, p. 1–7. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Modern Glacial Environments: Processes, Dynamics and Sediments. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.
• Menzies, J., 1995. Glaciers and ice sheets, p. 101–138. In: Menzies, J. (ed.), Modern Glacial Environments: Processes, Dynamics and Sediments. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., Oxford, U.K.

Activities

Internal Activities

• Member of BUFA Grievance Committee

External Activities

International Committees and Editorial Boards

• 1990 – Member of the Editorial Board of Quaternary Science Reviews
• 1990 – Member of the Editorial Board of Sedimentary Geology
• 1995 – Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Glacial Geology & Geomorphology (electronic journal)

Workshops (since 2000)

• Co-Organised Technical Micromorphology Workshops in U. London (R. Holloway) (2000), Tübingen, Germany (2001), SUNY Oneonta (2001), U. London (QMC, 2005)
• Micromorphology Technical Workshop – Inst. Geol. U. Bern, Bern, Switzerland, 2001

Recent Invited Lectures

• Invited Professor: Godwin Institute for Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge (June 2005)
• Invited Professor: Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland (Aug. 2004)
• Invited Visiting Professor: University of Siena, Italy (Aug. 2004)
• Invited Guest Professor: University of Bern, Swizerland (Sept. 2003, 2005)
• Invited Guest Professor: University of Leipzig, Germany (Aug. 2003)
• Invited Guest Professor: University of Regensburg, Germany (Aug. 2003)
• Invited Lecturer: Dept. of Earth Science, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA (Dec. 2003)

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