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U.Porto Memory

University of Porto Famous Alumni

João Carrington da Costa

João Carrington da Costa 1891-1982 Geologist, university teacher and politician

João Carrington Simões da Costa was born in Figueira da Foz on 21 April 1891.

In his youth he interrupted his studies to fight in France in the First World War, having been made prisoner in the Battle of La Lys, on 9 April 1918. In the following year, as aide-de-camp of the Minister of War, he fought for the defeat of the monarchic counterrevolution led by Paiva Couceiro.

Years later, he graduated in Historical-Natural Sciences in the University of Porto and in the Normal High School of Lisbon and received his PhD in Geology in the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (1931), presenting the thesis entitled "O Paleozoico Português: síntese e crítica" ["The Portuguese Paleozoic: synthesis and criticism"].

During a large period of time he was a high school teacher and was responsible for the approval of several textbooks by the Ministry of Education, namely in the areas of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geological Sciences.

In 1936, the tenure teacher of Rodrigues de Freitas High School and naturalist of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum and Laboratory (since 1928), took part of the teaching staff of the FSUP. In this Faculty he was consecutively nominated as an assistant Professor (1937) or a full Professor on contract (1939), a full Professor (1941) and a full Professor with definitive nomination (1942). In 1952 he was transferred to the capital on a service commission, as a member of the "Committee of Nuclear Energy Studies", never returning to his teaching position which remained vacant until his retirement in 1961.

Within the area of Geology, a subject which he helped renovate, he led the Missions of Geological Studies to Guinea (1946-1947) and presided to the Portugal Geological Society and to the Executive Committee of the Colonial Investigation Board (1955). He directed the Mineralogy and Geology Centre for the Committee of Nuclear Energy Studies of the Institute for Advanced Culture. He was a member of numerous scientific associations, national and foreign, such as the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, and he organized lectures as the one he delivered in 1934 about the evolution of the orography of the Portuguese soil, in a session presided by the Vice-Rector of the University of Porto Adriano Rodrigues, and held in the Physics room of the FSUP.

Carlos Teixeira and João Manuel Castelo Neiva were his pupils.
Carrington da Costa also held political positions, particularly those of Head Officer of the Minister of Agriculture (1921), Minster of Education (1925) and Civil Governor of Braga (between the 15th February and the 16th November 1923).

He was also awarded the Victory medals of the French Campaigns for his involvement in the First World War.

He was a republican and a freemason. In 1913 he entered the Madrugada Lodge in Lisbon with the name "Enjolras", then moved to the Renascença Lodge.

He died in Parede, Cascais, on 20 April 1982.
(Universidade Digital / Gestão de Informação, 2011)