James E. Church

{{short description|Pioneering snow hydrologist}}

James Edward Church, Jr. (February 15, 1869 – August 5, 1959) is best known for having developed the [https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Mount_rose_snow_sampler Mount Rose snow sampler] (1906), the first instrument for measuring snow water content. It is still in use today.[https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/nevada Snow Survey Centennial | Nevada NRCS] He was also active in promoting the then nascent sciences of snow hydrology and water supply forecasting.{{Cite web|url=https://westernsnowconference.org/docs/WSCbrochure.pdf|title=Western Snow Conference: Honorarium|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710201200/https://westernsnowconference.org/docs/WSCbrochure.pdf|archive-date=July 10, 2012|access-date=}}

Church, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Munich, was born in Holly, Michigan on February 15, 1869. As a Classics professor he taught Latin, German, and fine arts at the University of Nevada, Reno from 1892 to 1939{{Cite web |url=http://www.ametsoc.org/chapters/renotahoe/James_Church/Slide19.html |title=Dr. James E. Church - slide 19 |access-date=2007-12-22 |archive-date=2008-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106062010/http://www.ametsoc.org/chapters/renotahoe/James_Church/Slide19.html |url-status=dead }} and was the first person of European descent to ascend Mount Rose (1896).{{Cite web |url=http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost/community/com.thompson.snowsurvey.html |title=Snow surveying with Dr. Church |access-date=2007-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723232318/http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost/community/com.thompson.snowsurvey.html |archive-date=2008-07-23 |url-status=dead }} Church died in Reno, Nevada, on August 5, 1959. The Church Fine Arts Complex on the University of Nevada, Reno campus—which opened in 1962, three years after his death—is named after him.{{Cite web |url=http://www.unr.edu/tour/cfa.html |title=Church Fine Arts | Campus Tour | University of Nevada, Reno |access-date=2008-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015153736/http://www.unr.edu/tour/cfa.html |archive-date=2008-10-15 |url-status=dead }}