Honorary Fellowships
Following a proposal from the External Relations Committee, Council recommends the following candidates for election to Honorary Fellowship at a future Ordinary General Meeting.
Prof Patrick De Deckker
Patrick De Deckker, Belgian by birth and Australian by naturalisation, is one of Australia’s most distinguished Earth scientists. Having graduated in Australia in 1971 he worked briefly in Europe before returning to carry out research. He has spent most of his career at the Australian National University in Canberra, including time as Head of Department. Patrick recently took early retirement to focus on research. He was awarded a DSc by the University of Adelaide in 2002 but his contribution to Australian and international Earth science is more accurately reflected by his list of c.200 publications, in refereed journals and seven edited volumes, in the fields of limnology (especially of salt lakes), aeolian dust & deposits, and in palaeoceanography. Patrick holds the Verco Medal, Royal Society of South Australia, 1992; Australian Society for Limnology Medal, 2005; Order of Australia Medal, 2007; Christoffel Plantin Medal, 2008; Mawson Medal of Australian Academy of Sciences, 2010.
Dr John (Jack) Hess
Jack Hess has been Executive Director of the Geological Society of America since 2001, a role from which he will retire shortly. During Jack’s tenure, collaboration between our Societies has developed dramatically in terms of co-sponsored meetings and marketing, and as a joint influence in international geopolitics. On retirement Jack is expected to assume the role of Chair of the GSA Foundation. This is an important function and will ensure his continuing links to geosciences both in the United States and internationally, and the Society can look forward to the continuation of a mutually beneficial relationship with GSA. Much of Jack’s scientific career was spent at the Water Resources Center of the Desert Research Institute in Las Vegas and Reno rising from Assistant to Associate to full Research Professor including Director of the Environmental Isotope Laboratory. Latterly he was Executive Director of the WRC and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He spent a year carrying out research at the SURRC, East Kilbride, UK and another secondment was to a Senatorial office in Washington, DC as a Legislative Fellow to advise on radioactive waste, renewable energy and other science and technology matters. His research career was carried on in parallel with teaching and student supervision and steadily increasing administrative responsibilities.