The Geological Society of London Awards

The 2016 Geological Society of London (GSL) awards were presented at their annual President’s Day event (8 June 2016). The society has been awarding medals for significant achievement in the Earth sciences since 1831. Among the awardees are several members of the Elements participating societies.

Wollaston Medal

Susan Brantley (Pennsylvania State University, USA) is the Wollaston Medal recipient. This is the highest award given by the society and is normally given to geologists who have had a significant influence by means of a substantial body of excellent research in either or both pure and applied aspects of the science.

Distinguished Service Award

The 2016 Distinguished Service Award winners are Catherine Mével (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, France) and Edmund Nickless (recently retired after 18 years as Executive Secretary of the GSL). The Distinguished Service Award is made annually to an individual(s) who has made a significant contribution to geoscience and the geoscience community by virtue of their professional, administrative, organizational, or promotional activities.

Murchison Medal

Jon Blundy (University of Bristol, UK) received the Murchison Medal. This medal is highly regarded by the society and is normally given to people who have made a significant contribution to the science by means of a substantial body of research and for contributions to hard rock studies.

Coke Medal

Monica Grady (Open University, UK) received the Coke Medal. The Major John Sacheverell A’Deane Coke and Major Edward D’Ewes Fitzgerald Coke Medals are made to scientists for their contributions to geology, but recognition may be given to significant service to geology, for example through administrative, organizational or promotional activities resulting in benefits to the community. Recipients can include scientists whose training and interests are outside the main fields of geology, but whose contributions are of great significance to our science.

Bigsby Medal

The 2016 Bigsby Medal winner is Liane Benning (GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany/ University of Leeds, UK). Founded by John Jeremiah Bigsby (1792–1881), this medal is awarded biennially “as an acknowledgement of eminent services in any department of geology, irrespective of the receivers’ country; but (s)he must have done no more than 25 years’ full time equivalent research, thus probably not too old for further work, and not too young to have done much.”