W. Jason Morgan

Morgan was the first to propose that Earth's surface is made up of a number of rigid crustal blocks, establishing the kinematic framework for the paradigm of plate tectonics, which revolutionized the study of Earth and its history. He was also the first to recognize the presence and important implications of the mid-plate volcanic hotspots that create island chains such as Hawaii. "Rises, Trenches, Great Faults, and Crustal Blocks", Journal of Geophysical Research (1968) was called one of the major milestones of U.S. science in the 20th century.