Earth Sciences Faculty Members Promoted to Professor

Congratulations to Oxford Earth Sciences faculty members Heather Bouman, Stuart Robinson and Erin Saupe who have been promoted to Professor by the University’s Recognition of Distinction panel. The process which recognises distinction, calls on referees with international standing in the field and scrutiny by a committee formed from across all of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division departments, together with senior external representatives. Professorships are awarded on the basis of exceptional leadership track record in research, service to the community and teaching.

Heather is now Professor of Biogeochemistry and remains Supernumerary Fellow in Biogeochemistry at St Johns, Oxford. Her research investigates the diversity and physiology of marine phytoplankton single-celled organisms over a range of marine ecosystems, from the poles to the tropics, combining field observations with satellite remote sensing to improve knowledge of the factors governing the taxonomic structure and biogeochemical function of phytoplankon communities.

Stuart is now Professor of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy and remains Tutorial Fellow at St Anne’s, Oxford. His research focuses on the study of past environments, past climates and the impacts of major environmental change. In particular, how components of the Earth system (e.g. climate, carbon cycling, oceanography) have operated in the geological past, with a particular interest in periods of extreme greenhouse warmth, such as the Mesozoic Era and early Cenozoic.

Erin is now Professor of Palaeobiology. Her research investigates the interactions between life and environments over geological time scales addressing fundamental questions on the origin, maintenance, and conservation of biological diversity. More specifically, integrating biological data with information from the fossil record to elucidate the controls on community and species’ responses to environmental change across various spatial and temporal scales.

Again, congratulations from all at Earth Sciences to Professor Bouman, Professor Robinson and Professor Saupe on their achievement!