Charles V. Ebert

Charles H.V. “Vince” Ebert (1924-2011) took his degrees at the University of North Carolina: B.A. 1951; M.A. 1953; Ph.D. 1957. He joined the Department of Geology at the University of Buffalo in 1954. Nine years later, in 1963, he was invited to help found a Geography Department. He accomplished this and was installed as its first chair. From 1963 to 1970 he built the department and then was brought to the post of Undergraduate Dean, 1970-1977.

Ebert taught Physical Geography, Soils (in a sequence of three courses), Climatology, Oceanography, and Disasters. Earlier he had offered regional courses relating to Europe, the USSR, Central and South America. He traveled widely, and accumulated a large slide collection which he used to illustrate classroom lectures. His classes were considered thought-provoking, interesting, and otherwise excellent. Ebert continued to teach classes in retirement until forced to stop due to ill health. Meanwhile, he had been awarded a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professorship and the Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education. Of his courses, “Disasters: A Study of Hazards,” was his favorite. For this course, he wrote the book Disasters: Violence of Nature and Threats by Man.

Ebert spent his early years in Germany (born there of American parents), learned five languages, and came to be highly regarded for his good judgment both on and off the campus. This led to receiving the University’s “Mr. Faculty Award” in 1965 and 1968. Apart from holding a considerable number of university service posts on campus he also received a number of grants (several from the SUNY Research Foundation) with which to undertake research in the field, from which a number of interesting articles were culled.

Charles V. Ebert (Necrology). 2011. AAG Newsletter 46(4): 29.