John Robert Lawrence Allen, (25 October 1932 - 18 October 2020) was a British

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

who made substantial contributions to sedimentology and archeology. He took a 1st class degree in geology at the University of Sheffield in 1955 and then proceeded to research for a PhD. However, notwithstanding declining to submit his thesis for examination, his outstanding qualities were recognised by the Professor of Geology at Reading University, another, but unrelated Percival Allen, with the award of the Martin Lees Research Fellowship in 1958. So began a career at the University of Reading which continued to his retirement: appointment as lecturer in geology in 1961 was followed by promotion to Reader in 1967 and to a Personal Professorship of Geology in 1972 at the age of 39. In 1988 he was appointed Director of the newly formed Postgraduate Research Institute in Sedimentology. The flagship MSc trained many outstanding students, among whom are leading figures of the world's oil industry. Emeritus Professor since 2001, John continued to teach and be involved in the university until his death.

Honours

Allen received a number of awards in his career: The Lyell Medal of the Geological Society of London in 1980. The

Twenhofel Medal The William H. Twenhofel Medal is the highest award given by the Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM). It was instituted in memory of William H. Twenhofel and is awarded annually to a person for his or her "Outstanding Contributions to Sedimentar ...

of the Society for Sedimentary Geology SEPM, in 1987. The

G. K. Warren Prize The G. K. Warren Prize is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for noteworthy and distinguished accomplishment in fluviatile geology and closely related aspects of the geological sciences." Named in honor of Gouverneur Kemble Warren, ...

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 ...

in 1990. Th
Sorby Medal
of th
International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS)
in 1994. The Penrose Medal of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchco ...

in 1996. 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 ...

(FRS) on 1979. and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) on 21 November 1991.

Selected works

*''Sedimentary Structures'' vol. 1, Elsevier Science, 1982, *''Sedimentary Structures'' vol. 2, Elsevier, 1982, *''Principles of Physical Sedimentology'' Allen & Unwin, 1985, *''Carrstone in Norfolk Buildings'' British Archaeological Reports British Series 2004, *''Geology for Archaeologists: A Short Introduction'' Archaeopress Publishing Limited 2017,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, John R. L. 1932 births 2020 deaths British geologists Fellows of the Royal Society Penrose Medal winners Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London Lyell Medal winners Alumni of the University of Sheffield