James Dallas Stephens Geology Scholarship

James Dallas Stephens Geology Scholarship

Dr. Stephens was raised on a small farm/ranch in the community of Goldberg, near the head of the Pahsimeroi Valley, in Custer County, Idaho. He was the youngest of four children, and received his primary education at the (one room) Golberg School, and at the mining village of Patterson (Lemhi County) Idaho. Dr. Stephens attended high school at Challis, Idaho, graduating from high school in 1949, and attended college at Washington State University (Pullman, Washington) 1949-1953, receiving a BS degree in Geology in 1953. Dr. Stephens served in the U.S. Army (Korea) 1953-1955, and was released from the Army as a Corporal in June 1955. He then attended graduate school at the University of Utah, 1955-1959, and received a Ph.D degree in Mineralogy from the University of Utah in 1960.
In 1959, after completion of his academic studies but before receiving his Ph. D, Dr. Stephens accepted a position with the Kennecott Corporation in their Research Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the Kennecott Research Center, Dr. Stephens was the supervisor of the Mineralogy and Phase Analysis Group, a position which he occupied from 1960 to May 1985.
When Kennecott Corporation was purchased by Standard Oil (Ohio), Dr. Stephens was transferred to the Standard Oil (Ohio) Corporate Research Center in Warrensville Heights, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland). At the Standard Oil (Ohio) laboratory, Dr. Stephens served as supervisor of the Microscopy Group and as a Mineralogical Consultant.
Dr. Stephens took retirement in January 1990, but remained active in mineralogy as a Research Associate (Adjunct Staff) in the Geology Department at Idaho State University.