University of Victoria geologist Paul F. Hoffman recently accepted a tenured position in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, department officials said yesterday.

Department faculty said that Hoffman, who will arrive at Harvard from British Columbia this fall, fills a department gap with his specialty in the geology of the distant past.

"I'm just delighted," said Rotch Professor of Atmospheric Science Michael B. McElroy, who chairs the department. "He's not a narrow parochial scientist. He's interested in a lot of things."

Hoffman, who taught a popular introductory earth science course at the Canadian university, is expected to teach a fall seminar with Professor of Biology Andrew H. Knoll. Hoffman will also be teaching a core course,Science A-37, "The Changing Surface of the Earth,"in spring 1995.

Hoffman, who specializes in the earlygeological history of the earth, has researchedcontinental interactions in Canada and around theworld.

"I'm delighted to be coming to Harvard,"Hoffman said. "I'm pleased to be in a position toreinvigorate the geology program."

Members of the department are equallyenthusiastic about Hoffman's appointment.

"Hoffman is a world class geologist, who isvery interested in carrying his subject matter toaudiences who may not be in the sciences, maybe byway of a core," McElroy said.

Hoffman is planning to visit Harvard next weekto discuss particulars about course instruction.

"Hoffman is a field geologist who has studiedthe geology of the distant past when continentswere starting to form," Burden Professor ofMeteorology Brian F. Farrell said. "We havewonderful people [in the department] who do thebiology of this period and now Paul Hoffman addsanother dimension of what the earth was doing atthis time."

Having spent 25 years in the Arctic performingfield work, Hoffman is a world expert on Canadiangeology, according to McElroy.

The geologist was able to demonstrate thatNorth America was in fact a "collage" of manyformerly independent continents.

"We have been thinking about what kind ofappointment to make for many, many years," McElroysaid. "We've looked at many many people of highstature and Professor Hoffman is without aquestion at the top of that list.