Biography

Research Interests

I have been an active scientist for twenty one years applying geology to solve tectonic and, more recently, palaeoenvironmental problems from a whole Earth perspective. This has involved six Antarctic field seasons, and extensive fieldwork on Irish Carboniferous and Caledonian rocks.

Specific Interests:

Superplume events and associated tectonic events 

Terrane studies on the Pacific margin of Gondwana

Structural controls on magma generation and emplacement (particularly for arc plutons and lamprophyres)

Tectonic history of West Antarctica

Mechanisms of Phanerozoic climate change 

Crustal growth mechanisms

Closure of the Iapetus Ocean 

53 papers in refereed journals and books.

Professional experience
 

2009-        Workpackage manager for Continental Interiors (ECE Programme)

2009-        Member of the NERC Peer Review College

2008-11   NERC Change Facilitator

2007-09   Principal Investigator (acting) of the GEACEP Programme

2005-09  UK representative on the Gondwana Committee

2005- Director and member of the board of Antarctic Science Ltd

2005-09 Group Head, Palaeoenvironments, Geological Sciences Division management group

2004-09 Co-investigator on AFI Ner/G/S/2003/00013 "Tectonic and Thermal History of Suspect Terranes on the Pacific Margin of Gondwana." with S.P. Kelley & I.L.Millar

2003- Grade 7, British Antarctic Survey

2002-05 Co-investigator on AFI Ner/G/S/2001/00028 "Determining the origin of exotic crustal fragments on the Gondwana margin using Hf-isotope techniques." with I.L.Millar

2001-04 Co-investigator on AFI Ner/G/S/2000/0597 "Antarctic Peninsula terrane boundaries identified using alkaline dykes." with P.T. Leat

2000-05 Tectonics leader, Geological Sciences Division management group

2000-03 Antarctic Peninsula coordinator IGCP 436

2000-05 Project leader, SPARC "Superterranes in the Pacific-margin Arc" (BAS ASGC project)

1999- Earth sciences editor, Antarctic Science

1997-03 Senior Scientific Officer, British Antarctic Survey

1996 Laws Prize, British Antarctic Survey

1994-97 Higher Scientific Officer, British Antarctic Survey

1991-94 Contract scientist, British Antarctic Survey

1991 Ph.D., Trinity College Dublin

1985-88 Research associate, Environmental Resources Analysis Ltd., Dublin, Ireland

1985 Gold Medal in Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin

1985 B.A. (Mod.) Geology, Trinity College Dublin

1981-85 Structural geologist (part-time), Tara Mines Ltd., Navan, Ireland