Prestigious geology award for Cardiff academic

The Geological Society have awarded this year’s prestigious Bigsby Medal to Professor Carrie Lear from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The award, which was founded by John Jeremiah Bigsby (1792 - 1881) in 1887, recognises Professor Lear’s eminent services to the field of geology.

Professor Lear’s research uses the geochemistry of carbonate fossils as a window into past climatic change. Much of her research is based on fossils taking from deep-sea sediments during ocean drilling programs, with the overarching aim of discovering how the Earth’s ice sheets have responded to changing levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere.

Cardiff Women in Science

Professor Lear is also an active member of the Cardiff Women in Science group, providing a network for supporting female scientists and promoting gender equality across all STEM disciplines and in academia more generally.

Picking up the award, Professor Lear said: “I am extremely honoured to receive this medal from the Geological Society and hope that it can inspire younger generations to consider a career in this field...”

Professor Lear collected her award at The Geological Society’s annual awards on ceremony on 7 June 2017.