Frits Agterberg was born in 1936 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He studied geology and geophysics at Utrecht University
obtaining MSc (1959) and PhD (1961). After a postdoctorate fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, he joined the Geological Survey
of Canada, initially as petrological statistician working on the International Upper Mantle Project. Later he formed and headed the Geomathematics
Section (1971/96). He has authored or co-authored over 200 papers including the textbook "Geomathematics" published in 1974
by Elsevier and the monograph "Automated Stratigraphic Correlation" (1990). In 1978 he became the third W.C. Krumbein medallist
of the International Association for Mathematical Geology. In that year he also won the best paper award for an article in Computers & Geosciences co-authored by Andrea Fabbri. This was followed by Computers & Geosciences best paper awards in
1979 and 1982. Since 1968 he is associated with the University of Ottawa where he taught statistics in geology and directed the research
of nine graduate students. He has lectured in more than 50 short courses worldwide. From 1979 to 1985 he was Leader of IGCP Project 148
(Quantitative Stratigraphic Correlation Techniques). Currently he chairs the IAMG Publications Committee. In 1996, Frits Agterberg commenced
a phased retirement from the Geological Survey of Canada to work as a part-time independent consultant.
