Sir Alexander Norman Halliday (born 11 August 1952) is a British geochemist, an academic who is the Founding Dean of the
Columbia Climate School
The Columbia Climate School is Columbia University's school of trans-disciplinary Climatology, climate research. Announced in July 2020, the Climate School is the first new school to be established at the university in 25 years. As of January 2021 ...
, and Director of
the Earth Institute
{{Infobox organization
, name = The Earth Institute
, image = Ei blue1.gif
, map_size =
, map_alt =
, map_caption =
, map2 =
, type =
, tax_id ...
at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. He joined the Earth Institute in April 2018, after spending more than a decade at the
Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford, during which time he was dean of science and engineering. He is also a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University.
Early life
Halliday comes from
Penzance
Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
, Cornwall, in the UK. He went to school at the
Humphry Davy Grammar School where he studied geology. He received his
undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree (also called first degree or simply degree) is a colloquial term for an academic degree earned by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. In the United States, it is usually offered at an institution of higher e ...
and
PhD degree in geology from
Newcastle University
Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a UK public university, public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is ...
in 1977.
Career
Halliday was Professor of Geochemistry at the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
from 2004 to 2018. Before coming to Oxford, he spent twelve years as a professor at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
and then six years in Switzerland, where he was Head of the Department of Earth Sciences at
ETH Zurich
(colloquially)
, former_name = eidgenössische polytechnische Schule
, image = ETHZ.JPG
, image_size =
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = CHF 1.896 billion (2021)
, rector = Günther Dissertori
, president = Joël Mesot
, ac ...
. His research involves the use of isotopic methods to study Earth and planetary processes.
Halliday is a former president of the
Geochemical Society
The Geochemical Society is a nonprofit scientific organization founded to encourage the application of chemistry to solve problems involving geology and cosmology. The society promotes understanding of geochemistry through the annual Goldschmidt Co ...
; the
European Association of Geochemistry The European Association of Geochemistry (EAG) is a pan-European organization founded to promotes geochemical research. The EAG organizes conferences, meetings and educational courses for geochemists in Europe, including the Goldschmidt Conference w ...
; and the Volcanology, Geochemistry and Petrology Section of the
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people (not members). AGU's act ...
. He has experience with a range of top science boards and advisory panels including those of the
Natural Environment Research Council
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a British research council that supports research, training and knowledge transfer activities in the environmental sciences.
History
NERC began in 1965 when several environmental (mainly geogr ...
,
HEFCE
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom, which was responsible for the distribution of funding for higher education to universities and further education colleges in Engla ...
, the
Natural History Museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
, the
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (german: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e. V.; abbreviated MPG) is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes. ...
, the
Royal Society
The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
and the American Geophysical Union. At Oxford he was Head of the Division of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (science and engineering) from 2007 to 2015. In 2014, he was elected vice-president and Physical Secretary of the UK's Royal Society. He is currently a Fellow of the Royal Society and Foreign Associate of the US
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
.
On 14 December 2017 it was announced that Professor Halliday will be appointed as the new Director of Columbia University's Earth Institute. As a professor in Columbia's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Halliday divides his time between Columbia's Morningside campus and his geochemistry lab at
Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory
The Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) is the scientific research center of the Columbia Climate School, and a unit of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. It focuses on climate and earth sciences and is located on a 189-acre (64 h ...
.
Research
Alex Halliday is an isotope geochemist known for novel
mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a ''mass spectrum'', a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is use ...
techniques and their applications to the Earth and planetary sciences. An enthusiast for technological innovation, most of Halliday's recent research is in developing and using new mass spectrometry techniques to shed light on the origin and early development of the solar system and recent Earth processes, such as continental erosion and climate. However, he has also been engaged in other studies, such as the mechanisms of volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mineral and hydrocarbon deposits. Halliday has over 400 published research papers.
Accomplishments and awards
Halliday's scientific accomplishments have been recognised with awards including the
Murchison Medal
The Murchison Medal is an academic award established by Roderick Murchison, who died in 1871. First awarded in 1873, it is normally given to people who have made a significant contribution to geology by means of a substantial body of research and ...
of the
Geological Society
The Geological Society of London, known commonly as the Geological Society, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe with more than 12,000 Fellows.
Fe ...
, the Bowen Award and Hess Medal of the American Geophysical Union, the
Urey Medal
The Urey Medal is given annually by the European Association of Geochemistry for outstanding contributions advancing Geochemistry over a career. The award is named after the physical chemist Harold Urey, FRS. Urey Medalists
See also
* List ...
of the European Association of Geochemistry and the Oxburgh Medal of the
Institute of Measurement and Control
Founded in 1944 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1975, The Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC) is a professional members institution for individuals and companies that operate within the measurement and control industries. Its aims a ...
. He was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...
in 2000 and a Foreign Associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2015.
He was appointed a
Knight Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...
in the
2019 New Year Honours
The 2019 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...
for services to Science and Innovation.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halliday, Alexander
1952 births
Living people
Alumni of Newcastle University
British geochemists
Academics of the University of Oxford
Fellows of the Royal Society
Knights Bachelor
Academics of Newcastle University
People associated with the Natural History Museum, London
University of Michigan faculty
Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences
People educated at Humphry Davy Grammar School for Boys
Academic staff of ETH Zurich
Columbia University faculty
Presidents of the Geochemical Society