Royal honour for glaciologist

The School of GeoSciences’ Professor Geoffrey Boulton has been awarded a royal medal in recognition of his pioneering work in the field of glacial science.

Professor Boulton, Regius Professor of Geology Emeritus and former Vice-Principal, received the Royal Geographical Society’s Founder’s Medal for the development and promotion of glaciology.

Approved by Her Majesty the Queen, the Society’s Royal Medals are among the highest honours of their kind in the world.

Within the field of glacial science, Professor Boulton is one of the most influential practitioners of his generation. Current generations follow and test concepts set out by him. Even in retirement he is still pushing frontiers: using geophysics beneath an Antarctic ice stream to observe the process of drumlin formation.

Improved understanding

Professor Boulton’s research has been integral to the improved understanding of glacial sediments, the development of ice sheets and quantitative theories of erosion and deposition. He has published more than 150 research papers.

He has held numerous influential appointments, including member of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, the Scottish Science Advisory Committee and the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. He currently chairs the Royal Society’s Science Policy Centre.

Recognising excellence

The Royal Geographical Society was founded in 1830 and since 1832 its prestigious medals have recognised those who have made important discoveries about the planet and its inhabitants.

Previous recipients include Captain Robert Scott, David Livingstone, Fridtjof Nansen and Sir David Attenborough.