Geoffrey Eglinton#
- In Memoriam note
, Bristol University
- In Memoriam, Geoff Eglinton 1927–2016. A father of modern organic geochemistry
, by James Maxwell in Organic Geochemistry 97 (2016) 163–165
- Geoffrey Eglinton (1927–2016)
, by Katherine H. Freeman, Nature 532, 314 (21 April 2016) doi:10.1038/532314a
Qualifications
- 1948 B.Sc. Hons. (Chemistry) University of Manchester, UK
- 1951 Ph.D., (Chemistry) University of Manchester, UK
- 1966 D.Sc. University of Manchester, UK
Nationality: British. Born Cardiff, S Wales (Nov 1, 1927)
Fellowships
- Royal Society
- Royal Institute of Chemistry (FRIC)
- Academia Europaea
- Chemical Society
- Geological Society
- Geochemical Society
Titles
- Emeritus Professor of Organic Geochemistry and Senior Research Fellow, Earth Sciences Department. *University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Adjunct Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA U.S.A.
- Adjunct Professor, Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, NH U.S.A.
Awards
- 1973 NASA Gold Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (lunar carbon chemistry).
- 1974 Chemical Society: Hugo Müller Silver Medal & Lectureship. “Chemistry in relation to mineralogy and botany”.
- 1975 Award by the Organic Geochemistry Division of the Geochemical Society for the most outstanding paper on Organic Geochemistry published in 1974, for the paper “Tri- and tetraterpenoid hydrocarbons in the Messl oil shale” by B.J. Kimble, J.R. Maxwell, R.P. Philp, G. Eglinton, P. Albrecht, A. Ensminger, P. Arpino and G. Ourisson. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 38, 1974, 1165-1181.
- 1976 Elected Fellow of The Royal Society
- 1981 Geochemical Society: Treibs Gold Medal
- 1985 Melvin Calvin Lectureship at UC Berkeley
- 1986 Geological Society: Coke Medal
- 1986 WHOI Steinbach Visiting Scholar
- 1990 Plymouth Marine Laboratory: Plymouth Lecture
- 1990 Elected to Membership of Academia Europaea.
- 1990 European Environment Research Organization: First EERO Lecture
- 1992 Chemical Society: Theophilus Redwood Medal and Lectureship
- 1993 Wilson Baker Lecturer, University of Bristol
- 1996 Geochemical Society: Fellowship
- 1997 European Geochemical Society: Urey medal (with John Hayes)
- 1998 Royal Society: Royal Gold Medal
- 1999 Chromatographic Society: Martin Gold Medal
- 2000 Geochemical Society: Goldschmidt Medal
- 2004 Geological Society: Wollaston Medal
- 2008 Dan David Laureate : The Future, 2008. Geosciences
Appointments
- 1951-52 US Public Health Fellow at Ohio State University. Postdoctoral research with Professor MS Newman – Synthetic routes to steroid hormones.
- 1952-54 ICI Fellow at Liverpool University, postdoctoral research with Professor A. Robertson – Isolation and structural elucidation of ergoflavin and related compounds.
- 1954-64 University of Glasgow – Lecturer in Organic Chemistry
- 1960 Sabbatical leave, during Martinmas Term, at the University of La Laguna, Teneriffe, Spain. Expedition initiating chemotaxonomic approach involving the cuticular lipids of plants.
- 1963 SRC (NERC) approved initiation of Organic Geochemistry Project at Glasgow University.
- 1963-64 Sabbatical leave at the university of California, Berkeley, California. Collaboration in Organic Geochemistry begun with Professor Melvin Calvin, Nobel Laureate.
- 1964-67 University of Glasgow – Reader in Organic Chemistry
- 1967 (Oct.) University of Bristol – appointed Senior Lecturer in Organic Geochemistry and Head of Organic Geochemistry Unit.
- 1968 (Feb.) University of Bristol – title changed to Reader in Organic Geochemistry.
- 1968 (Autumn term) visiting Professor in Department of Botany, University of Texas at Austin (USA)
- 1969-78 Head of Joint Honours School of Chemistry and Geology.
- 1973-93 University of Bristol – Professor of Organic Geochemistry.
- 1990-96 Director, Biogeochemistry Research Centre, University of Bristol.
- 1990- Adjunct Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, woods Hole, MA
- 1993- Emeritus Professor, University of Bristol
- 1993-1997 Co-ordinator, then Manager for NERC Ancient Biomolecules Initiative
- 1995 Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Oklahoma, OK
- 1995- Senior Research Fellow, University of Bristol
- 1998- Visiting Professor,Dartmouth College
Teaching
- Joint Honours School of Chemistry and Geology. Head of this School from its inception in 1967. Continued lecturing until the course terminated in 1983.
- Environmental Chemistry. Professor Maxwell and I were joint initiators and organizer of this second year option. The course is given by members of the School of Chemistry and the Department of Geology, as well as outside lecturers form industry.
- Chemistry and Industry
- Chemistry IIIA
- Biogeochemistry – Department of Geology
- Chemistry Tutorials to first and second year students.
Outside Lectures and Broadcasts
Numerous lectures to student and professional societies, etc., mainly on organic geochemistry. Participation in BBC television programmes for Apollos 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17, and the exploration of Mars and, more recently, Science programmes, The Open University, etc.
Directorship
Masspec analytical Specialty Services Ltd.
Consultancies
- 1975-78 Masspec Analytical Specialty Services Ltd.
- 1979-84 Hazleton Laboratories Europe Ltd (Masspec Analytical)
- 1981-90 The British Petroleum PLC, Exploration Division, Sunbury-on-Thames
- 1994-95 Xenova Ltd.
Membership of Editorial Boards, Councils, Organizations
- 1970-72 Space and Life Sciences
- 1970-71 Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 Conference Volumes
- 1970-76 International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life
- 1980-82 Associate Editor Abroad, Geochemical Journal, Japan
- 1984-89 Managing Editor, Chemical Geology, Elsevier
- 1983-86 Council of ISSOL (Int. Soc. for the Study of the Origins of Life)
- 1977-88 Scientific Board of Oceanologica Acta
- 1982 Int. Assoc. of Geochemistry & Cosmochemistry. Member of Nominating Committee
- 1970- University of California, Space Sciences Laboratory, Research Associate.
- 1970- Commission of Organic Geochemistry of the International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry
- 1983-89 Member of the Editorial Board of Origins of Life (D. Reidel).
- 1989-95 Chairman of the European Association of Organic Geochemists
- 1990-96 Council of European Environmental Research Organization
- 1975- Interdisciplinary Science Reviews
- 1983- Founding member of the Editorial Board of AOSTRA Journal of Research
- 1990- Adjunct Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA
- 1990- Earth Science Panel, Academia Europaea
- 1994- Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of GC/MS Update – Part A (Environmental)
- 1996 Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of “Ancient Biomolecules” Journal
Membership of Committees, Working Parties, Study Groups
- 1969-70 Lunar Sample Analysis Planning team (The Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston)
- 1970-72 Lunar Sample Review Board (The Lunar Science Institute, Houston)
- 1969-72 Audio visual Aids Committee (University of Bristol)
- 1971-72 Working Party of Geochemistry (NERC)
- 1970-74 Sub-committee for Space Biology (The Royal Society)
- 1972-74 Nomination committee (The Geochemical Society)
- 1972-75 Marine Pollution Study Group (The Royal Society)
- 1972-74 Geophysics Working Group (SRC). Later Solar System Committee
- 1972-76 Committee for allocation of Lunar Samples (The Royal Society)
- 1968-76 Principal Investigator, NASA Lunar Sample Analysis Program
- 1971-77 General Advisory Council of the BBC (BBC, London)
- 1975-77 Astronomy, Space and Radio Board (Science Research Council)
- 1975-77 Solar Systems Working Group (European Space Agency)
- 1975-77 Planetology Committee (French Government)
- 1974-77 Astronautics Committee (Aeronautical Research Council)
- 1970-78 Planetary Science Sub-committee of the British National Committee on Space Research (The Royal Society)
- 1977-78 Planetary Sciences Review Panel (Solar System Committee/Science Research Council)
- 1976-78 Co-investigator NASA Lunar Sample Analysis Program
- 1976-81 JOIDES Advisory Panel on Geochemistry
- 1976-79 Aquatic and Atmospheric Physical Sciences Grants Committee (Natural Environment Research Council)
- 1969-80 Sabrina Project Steering Group (University of Bristol)
- 1977-79 Royal Society Representative on the Chemical Education Committee (The Chemical Society)
- 1978-81 Liaison representative of the Organic Geochemistry Advisory Panel (JOIDES) to the Advisory Panel on Ocean Paleoenvironmental (JOIDES)
- 1978-81 Royal Society Sectional Committee
- 1978-83 Sub-committee on biological experiments of the British National Committee on Space Research (The Royal Society)
- 1977-79 Chairman, The Royal Society committee for the allocation of Russian Lunar samples
- 1980-83 Adviser to the Geological Sciences Research Grants Committee of the Natural Environment Research Council
- 1980-81 Scientific Committee of the 10th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry of the European Association of Organic Geochemists
- 1979-81 Member of the UK IPOD Coordinating Committee (NERC)
- 1981-84 Council member of the Marine Biological Association of the UK
- 1981-84 Member of the Goldschmidt Medal Committee of the Geological Society (USA)
- 1977-89 Member of the Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry Subcommittee of the British National Committee for Geology (The Royal Society). Chairman of the Subcommittee 1986-1989.
- 1978-87 Member of the British National Committee for the International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP) of The Royal Society
- 1979-85 Member of the British National Committee for Problems of the Environment (The Royal Society), Vice-Chairman, Working Party on Environment, Geochemistry and Health subcommittee
- 1981-87 Member of the National Committee on Oceanic Research (The Royal Society)
- 1983-85 Member of the Fluid Processes Advisory Committee of the Deep Geology Committee (NERC)
- 1983-86 Member of Panel D of the International Exchanges Committee of The Royal Society.
- 1981-88 Member of the Planetary Sciences Working Group of the British National Committee on Space Research (The Royal Society)
- 1987-89 Member of the British National Committee for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (The Royal Society)
- 1978-89 Member of the National Committee for Geology (The Royal Society)
- 1986-89 Member of the Scientific Liaison Subcommittee of the National Committee on Oceanic Research (The Royal Society)
- 1985-89 Dean of Graduate Studies, University of Bristol
- 1981-88 Member of the Council of the Marine Biological Association (NERC)
- 1986-89 Member of the Research Vessel Strategy Committee (NERC)
- 1984-90 Council Member of the Natural Environment Research Council
- 1988-91 Member of the International Exchanges Committee of the Royal Society
- 1988-91 Member of Section Committee 5 of the Royal Society
- 1984-90 Member of the Marine Sciences Committee (NERC)
- 1984-90 Member of the Earth Sciences Committee (NERC)
- 1990-92 Member of the Science Faculty Council, Polytechnic South West
- 1992 External Assessor, New Chair in Environmental Sciences, University of Sussex
- 1984-95 Member of the Steering Committee, Scientific Information Service of the CIBA Foundation
- 1985-90 Ordinary member of the Sub-Commission F.3 on Planetary Biology and the Origins of Life of COSPAR
- 1988 Member of the Visiting Committee of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington
- 1989 Member of the Board D of The Royal Society (new Research Grants Scheme)
- 1989-92 Chairman, Biomolecular Palaeontology Special Topic Steering Group (NERC)
- 1990-94 Chairman, ICPMS Committee (NERC)
- 1991-94 Representative of The Royal Society on the Scientific Research in Schools Joint Committee
- 1993 Coordinator, then Manager, Ancient Biomolecules Initiative of the Natural Environment Research Council
- 1995 NERC Decommissioning Panel (Brent Spar)