Antonio Carlos Rocha-Campos (Tony Rocha-Campos) was one of the longest and most proven friends. For more than 50 years, I could count on him in my academic and personal life, full of successes, hopes, and fatigue.
When addressing certain men, even the most ardent admirer must be calm and reasoned to honor his object. Prof. Rocha-Campos always reproached, above all, the noise and sparkle of empty words, which please futile spirits.
Antonio Carlos Rocha Campos passed away on 07/22/2019.
Son of Irene dos Santos Campos and José Rocha-Campos, he was born on March 3, 1937, in the city of Araras, State of São Paulo (SP), Brazil, having later resided in Birigui (SP), where he completed secondary school.
He entered the University of São Paulo (USP) in 1957, graduating in the first class of Geology in 1960. Soon after (1961), he held a position as Assistant Professor at the USP Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letter.
He earned his doctorate in 1964, completed postdoctoral studies in 1964-1965 at the University of Illinois (USA), and in 1968 at the City University of New York. Associate Professor in 1969, Adjunct Professor in 1972, he became Full Professor in 1980, and Emeritus Professor in 2010.
He was a member of all the collegiate bodies of the Institute of Geoscience (IGC) – USP and participated in the Post-Graduate course, and was its president.
Rocha-Campos is best known internationally for his pioneering research on the Pre-Pleistocene glacial geology. Among the many contributions that marked his academic life, one marked the beginning of Rocha-Campos’ extensive, influential and genial work: The Tubarão Group in the Brazilian portion of the Paraná Basin (ROCHA-CAMPOS, A.C. 1967ROCHA-CAMPOS AC. 1967. The Tubarão Groups in the Brazilian portion of the Paraná Basin. In: Bigarella JJ, Becker RR & Pinto ID (Eds), Problems in Brazilian Gondwana Geology, p. 27-102, Curitiba.). From this work onwards, the greatness of his contribution for science became evident, who always asserted that, without precise words, there are no living ideas; that without perfect expression, there is no communication of feeling; and that there can be no simplicity without work, and mastery without study.
Already an internationally known authority on Paleontology and Glacial Geology, he dedicated himself, from 1982 onwards to Antarctica, being one of the pioneers in Brazilian Antarctic Research Program (PROANTAR), the second Brazilian to be in the Geographic South Pole (1985), and a veteran of 11 Antarctic expeditions.
During his Antarctic career, he held several important posts nationally and internationally. He was part of the PROANTAR Management Group, advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Brazilian National Committee for Antarctic Research (CONAPA).
Most importantly, he was National Delegate to the Scientific Committee on Antarctica Research (SCAR) from 1984 to 2012, SCAR secretary from 1986 to 1992, and in 1994 was the first Latin American to be elected as SCAR president, a position he held until 1998. SCAR honored him with an Honorary Membership in 2002 for his outstanding contribution to Antarctic Science leadership.
A full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, he was also a member of the Geological Society of America; member of the International Commission on Stratigraphy, Chairman of the International Gondwana Commission, member and President of the Brazilian Society Paleontology.
Among the various awards and distinctions, he received the Brazilian Society of Geology Silver Medal in 1968; the medal Josué Camargo Mendes in 1992; Friend of the Navy Medal and the Grand-Cross Medal of the Brazilian National Order of Scientific Merit of the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1996.
He supervised more than 30 master and doctoral dissertations and thesis and about 50 undergraduate scientific initiations. He created the Parque Varvito (Varvite’s Park) in Itu, SP, and Parque da Roche Moutonnée in Salto, SP, pioneer geological monuments.
Every victorious man has a talented woman beside him, and Antonio Carlos Rocha-Campos had Maria Lúcia, in whose spirit and in whose heart he has always found advice and rest. Rocha-Campos should be recognized for his books and the solidity of his work. He acted as an educator of minds, always encouraging sovereign expressions, new august extensions, and new places to exercise thought.
With the death of Rocha-Campos, the global geological community loses a great scientist, professor, friend, critic, and free thinker. Fortunately, he left us a rich legacy of enduring doctrines for which future generations will always be grateful.
REFERENCES
- ROCHA-CAMPOS AC. 1967. The Tubarão Groups in the Brazilian portion of the Paraná Basin. In: Bigarella JJ, Becker RR & Pinto ID (Eds), Problems in Brazilian Gondwana Geology, p. 27-102, Curitiba.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
27 June 2022 -
Date of issue
2022
History
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Received
4 Mar 2022 -
Accepted
24 Apr 2022
