Patrick Duncan McTaggart-Cowan

Patrick Duncan McTaggart-Cowan

Patrick Duncan McTaggart-Cowan, meteorologist (b at Edinburgh, Scot 31 May 1912; d at Bracebridge, Ont 11 Oct 1997), younger brother of Ian MCTAGGART-COWAN. McTaggart-Cowan's family immigrated to Canada in 1913; he graduated from the University of British Columbia and was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. As officer-in-charge of the meteorological service in Newfoundland from 1937 to 1942, he pioneered weather services for the first passenger transatlantic flights. During WWII he was chief meteorologist for the RAF FERRY COMMAND. In 1946 he became assistant director of the Canadian weather service, and when Andrew THOMSON retired in 1959, he became director.

Named the founding president of SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY in 1963, he guided the university until his appointment as executive director of the SCIENCE COUNCIL OF CANADA in 1968. In 1970 he directed Operation Oil to clean up the Arrow oil tanker spill in Chedabucto Bay, NS. The recipient of several national and international medals and honours, he has earned honorary doctorates, and in 1986 he became an honorary life member of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. He was created a member of the Order of the British Empire in 1944 and an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1979.