SOCIETY’S AWARDS 2020—MAKE YOUR NOMINATIONS
Fellows of the Society are encouraged to submit nominations for the Society’s Awards for 2020, writes George Jameson.
With the aim of broadening the demographics of those nominations put forward, this year we set ourselves a goal to revamp the awards process. Undertaking a holistic review of the procedures, focusing on the nominations, application, submission, judging and assessment processes and criteria.
Our guidance documents have been revamped and help in explaining how to go about nominating a person you feel is deserving of a Society Award.
Check out our new Awards booklet, which shows all of the changes made and how easy the whole process is, by visiting:
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/Awards-Grants-and-Bursaries/Society-Awards
Full details of how to make nominations can also be found there.
Remember nominations must be received at the Society no later than
27 September 2019.
LYELL’S NOTEBOOKS
Charles Lyell’s notebooks, currently in private hands, are due to be sold abroad. Government has put in place a temporary export ban to enable fundraising to purchase them and to make them publicly available online. If successful, the new home of the Lyell notebooks will be the University of Edinburgh Library, already home to the largest collection of Lyell material. The University of Edinburgh is leading the fund-raising and has launched a dedicated website:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/giving/save-lyell-notebooks.
The Geological Society is supporting efforts through a letter from the President, which is now published on the above website, and by making available for use an image of the Lyell portrait that hangs in the Lyell Room at Burlington House. The temporary export ban had an initial deadline of 15 July, but the fundraising has made significant progress, so the deadline has been extended until
15 October 2019. For more information about the notebooks, the appeal, and to pledge a donation, please visit the website.
Image credit: Portrait of Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875) © Geological Society of London.
HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
Following a proposal from the External Relations Committee, Council recommends the following candidate for election to Honorary Fellowship at a future Ordinary General Meeting.
Professor Khin Zaw
Khin Zaw is Professor of Economic Geology at the Centre for Ore Deposits and Earth Sciences (CODES), in the School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania. He is the pre-eminent mineral deposits geologist in South East Asia, has supervised numerous MSc and PhD dissertations on economic and other Earth science topics, and has participated in and organised sessions in numerous conferences in South East Asia.
To further the study of the geosciences in Myanmar, and to provide a forum and support for Myanmar geoscientists, Prof Khin Zaw, together with Dr Yin Yin New, founded the Myanmar Applied Earth Sciences Association (MAESA) in 2016. MAESA arranges conferences and workshops with the aim of promoting the geosciences and mineral resources of Myanmar, and collaboration with foreign geoscientists, mineral companies and geoscience organisations, such as this Society.
Prof Khin Zaw studied Geology at the University of Rangoon, graduating in 1968. After obtaining an MSc in 1969 from Queen’s University in Canada, he was appointed to a lectureship in the University of Yangon, Myanmar. However, he incurred the displeasure of the Military Government and was dismissed from his post. Eventually, Khin Zaw was allowed to leave Myanmar with his family to study for a PhD at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.
After obtaining his PhD, Khin Zaw joined the CODES ARC (Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits) group at the University of Tasmania, specialising in the economic geology of South East Asia.
Society Discussion Group 2019—All Welcome!
The Geological Society Discussion Group exists to promote discussion in a social setting on a variety of geoscience topics. Our meetings take place in the evening, at a range of different venues in London, when a topical subject is raised by an invited speaker and debated over dinner.
Come and broaden you mind and your network! The meetings are open to all—Fellows, their guests and non-Fellows.
• ‘Critically stressed Earth’, Jonathan Turner (Director, Radioactive Waste Management) - 18 September, Kings Head, Mayfair.
• 'UK Onshore earthquakes—natural or anthropogenic?’, Stephen Hicks (Imperial College) - 23 October, Bumpkins, South Kensington.
• Members’ geological object ‘show and tell’ evening - 4 December, Athenaeum, Pall Mall.
For more information, please go to:
www.geolsoc.org.uk/Groups-and-Networks/Specialist-Groups/Geological-Society-Discussion-Group. To make a reservation, please contact Sarah Woodcock at:
[email protected]
Earth Science Week 2019—grant applications are open!
Earth Science Week 2019 takes place on 12-20 October, with a theme of ‘Geoscience is for everyone’. If you’re thinking of running an event this year, you can apply for up to £150 to help! Visit
www.geolsoc.org.uk/earthscienceweek where you can register your event and submit a grant application. The deadline to apply for grants is
Monday 19 August, although you can continue to register your event without applying for a grant until
Friday 4 October.
Earth Science Week is an annual celebration of the geology all around us. Taking place in an increasing number of countries around the world, the week aims to raise awareness of the geosciences through public events like geowalks, talks, open days and hands-on activities. Anyone can participate by either running or attending an event. Contact
[email protected] if you’d like more information on how to get involved!
The 2019 Earth Science Week Photography Competition
The Earth Science Week photography competition is back! This year, for the first time, we’re inviting entries featuring geology from all over the world. Entry is free to all, and there’s no limit on how many images you can enter. As always, 12 winners will be displayed at Burlington House during Earth Science Week and feature in our 2020 calendar. The top three images will also win cash prizes.
You can email your entries to
[email protected]. The deadline to enter is
9am on Monday 23 September. Full details can be found at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/photocompetition.
Last year’s winning image, ‘Bow Fiddle Rock’ by Andy Leonard.