Elias Howard Sellards

Elias Howard Sellards (1875–1961) was a renowned geologist and Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, serving as Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology (1932–1945) and Director Emeritus thereafter. He also led the Texas Memorial Museum until his retirement in 1957. His career spanned roles at Rutgers College, the University of Florida, and as Florida State Geologist (1907–1918).

Education: BA (1899), MA (1900) from University of Kansas; PhD (1903) from Yale University under mentors like Charles Schuchert.

Research focused on Texas geology, stratigraphy, fossil vertebrates, and early human remains (e.g., Vero Beach discovery). He resolved the Texas-Oklahoma Red River boundary dispute, influencing a landmark Supreme Court decision. His publications include a two-volume compendium on Texas geology and a seminal work on Early Man in America.

Awards: Recognized with the Erasmus Haworth Award (1958) and honored by the University of Florida’s Geology Student Award. He advised 17 Master’s and 1 PhD student.

Labs/Teams: Central to the Bureau of Economic Geology and Texas Memorial Museum, overseeing major paleontological collections during WPA projects.