7 May 2015
The Geological Society of London has elected two new Honorary Fellows, Professor Maureen Raymo and Professor John Walsh. They join the Society’s 68 strong list of Honorary Fellows, recognised both for their achievements in Earth science, and as ambassadors for the science.
Professor Raymo, the first female recipient of the Society’s Wollaston Medal, is a world class palaeoceanographer who has been setting the agenda in the study of the history of the ocean, and the Earth as a whole, for the last 30 years. She first made her make with the ‘uplift-weathering hypothesis’, which suggests that rising mountain ranges can cool the Earth’s climate. She has also carried out important research into the deep sea oxygen isotope record, and Plio-Pleistocene sea level change. She is currently a Research Professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
John Walsh is Professor of Structural Geology at University College Dublin, and a founder of the Fault Analysis Group, formed in 1985. The Group is recognised as a leading international team in the study of the geometry, growth and hydraulic properties of faults, and in applying its research outputs to solve practical problems. It has published more than 120 articles in leading international journals and special publications, and is one of the most cited structural geology research groups in the world. A member of the Geosciences Committee of the Royal Irish Academy, Professor Walsh actively collaborates with and supports the work on the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland.
New Honorary Fellows are proposed and seconded by Fellows of the Society, and agreed by the Awards Committee. Their role dates back to the founding of the Geological Society in 1807, when 42 'honorary members' were elected to provide links with their field of study and act as ambassadors for the science.
To find out more about Honorary Fellowship of the Society, and to view the complete list, visit http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/honoraryfellowship
Notes for editors
The Geological Society of London, founded 1807, is a learned and professional body of over 11,000 Earth scientists with a remit to investigate, interpret, discuss, inform and advise on the nature and processes of the Earth, their practical importance to humanity, and, in the interests of the public, to promote professional excellence. The Society offers advice to Parliament and Government, at individual and corporate levels. Registered Charity No. 210161.