Professor Tamsin Mather elected Fellow of the Royal Society
We are incredibly proud to announce that Professor Tamsin Mather, Professor of Earth Sciences, has been elected a fellow of the Royal Society.
Each year, the Fellows of the Royal Society elect up to 85 new Fellows, each of whom have made “a substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathematics, engineering science and medical science”. The Royal Society is the UK’s national academy of sciences and the oldest science academy in continuous existence, and being elected a Fellow is an extremely prestigious honour. Amongst its most celebrated fellows are Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Dorothy Hodgkin, Stephen Hawking, and Inge Lehmann. Professor Tamsin Mather is one of nine University of Oxford researchers elected this year.
Tamsin’s research interests centre on the science surrounding volcanoes and volcanic behaviour. Her expertise spans volcanology and magmatism, atmospheric chemistry, and palaeoclimatology; a diverse skillset which allows her to tackle questions surrounding the role of volcanism as a local to planetary-scale driver of environmental change (and stasis) throughout Earth’s history in novel ways. Tamsin has also applied her extensive experience to further our understanding of volcanic eruption patterns and precursors, the hazards resulting from volcanism, and the potential of volcanoes as a resource of both power and critical metals. She is one of the leaders of the Volcanology and Igneous Petrology Group in the Department and collaborates with scientists across the world.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition. I have been extremely lucky to work with very many hugely talented and supportive colleagues, collaborators and research students from around the world and this is above all a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and thank them.”
Professor Tamsin Mather
Alongside her impressive research career, Tamsin has contributed significantly to a range of science advisory and communication activities, working with venture capital, the UK Parliament, government, the Royal Society, New Scientist, the BBC and the Geological Society of London, amongst others. Her first book, “Adventures in Volcanoland”, was published by Abacus in April of this year, and offers a vibrant combination of exciting scientific discoveries and personal stories. As well as many UK and international roles, within Oxford she has been a champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), leading the Department’s Athena SWAN submission in 2016 and currently serving as one of University College’s EDI fellows. She is also currently Associate Head of Department (Research) and teaches 1st-year Chemistry and Volcanology to our 3rd and 4th years, as well as co-leading the Santorini field trip.
Professor Tamsin Mather on Etna on the day that “Adventures in Volcanoland” was published in the UK.
Professor Mike Kendall, Head of Department, said “The Department is immensely proud of Tamsin’s achievements and her election to Fellow of the Royal Society is richly deserved. Her research fuses chemistry and volcanology, providing novel insights into volcanism past and present. Tamsin supports the wider scientific community in many ways and she is a great mentor to young researchers – she is a wonderful colleague.”.
Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said of the awardees: ““I am pleased to welcome such an outstanding group into the Fellowship of the Royal Society. This new cohort have already made significant contributions to our understanding of the world around us and continue to push the boundaries of possibility in academic research and industry.
“From visualising the sharp rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution to leading the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, their diverse range of expertise is furthering human understanding and helping to address some of our greatest challenges. It is an honour to have them join the Fellowship.”
Many congratulations to Tamsin on this well-deserved honour.