The Department of Earth Sciences at

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is the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

's Earth Sciences department. First formed around 1731, the department incorporates the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.

History

The department's history can be traced back to 1731 when the 1st Woodwardian Professor of Geology was appointed, in accordance with the bequest of

John Woodward John Woodward or ''variant'', may refer to: Sports * John Woodward (English footballer) (born 1947), former footballer * John Woodward (Scottish footballer) (born 1949), former footballer * Johnny Woodward (1924–2002), English footballer * Jo ...

. The present Department of Earth Sciences was formed by an amalgamation of the Department of Geology, Department of Geodesy and Geophysics and the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology in 1980. The main location of the department is at the Downing Site, Downing St. The Bullard Laboratories, located in

West Cambridge West Cambridge is a university site to the west of Cambridge city centre in England. As part of the ''West Cambridge Master Plan'', several of the University of Cambridge's departments have relocated to the West Cambridge site from the cent ...

on Madingley Rd is a satellite department of the main building. The department incorporates the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and the Godwin Laboratory. The department is the home of the

Sedgwick Club The Sedgwick Club is the official student geological society at the University of Cambridge, and is the oldest student-run geological society in the world. It aims to promote the subject of geology among its members through regular talks and so ...

, which was founded in memory of

Adam Sedgwick Adam Sedgwick (; 22 March 1785 – 27 January 1873) was a British geologist and Anglican priest, one of the founders of modern geology. He proposed the Cambrian and Devonian period of the geological timescale. Based on work which he did on ...

in 1880, and is the oldest student run geological society in the world.Sedgwick Club website
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Notable people

Fellows and Former Fellows

* Simon Conway Morris FRS * Michael Bickle FRS * Marie Edmonds * Harry Elderfield FRS * David Hodell ( Woodwardian Professor of Geology) * Timothy Holland FRS * Marian Holness FRS * James Jackson FRS CBE *

Nick McCave Ian Nicholas McCave (born 3 February 1941) is a British geologist, who was the Woodwardian Professor of Geology at the University of Cambridge Department of Earth Sciences from 1985 to 2008 and a fellow of St John's College from 1986 to present ...

(Former Woodwardian Professor of Geology) * Dan McKenzie FRS CH * Simon Redfern * Ekhard Salje FRS * Bob White FRS * Eric Wolff FRS

Alumni

* Stuart Agrell * Sir David Attenborough CH *

John Auden John Lorimer Auden MC (23 August 1894 – 30 March 1959), was an English solicitor, deputy coroner for Staffordshire and a territorial soldier who served in the First World War. He was a collector of natural history. John Lorimer Auden was bo ...

* George Band OBE * Derek Briggs FRS * Euan Clarkson * Claire Craig CBE *

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

* Gertrude Elles * Richard Fortey FRS * Sir Vivian Fuchs FRS * Alfred Harker FRS * W. Brian Harland * Dorothy Hill FRS * Ted Irving FRS * John E Marr FRS * Sir Mark Moody-Stuart * Yin Yin Nwe *

Sanjaasürengiin Oyuun Sanjaasuren Oyun ( mn, Санжаасүрэнгийн Оюун), also transcribed S. Oyun, is a Mongolian politician and geologist. She is the leader of the Civil Will Party, is the former Minister of Environment and Green Development, and has be ...

* Julian Pearce *

* Fred Vine FRS * Lawrence Wager FRS * Gino Watkins * Kathryn Whaler OBE * Leonard Wills * Sir James Wordie CBE

Former staff

* Edward Bullard FRS *

Oliver Bulman Oliver Meredith Boone Bulman (20 May 1902 – 18 February 1974) was a British palaeontologist. He was Woodwardian Professor of Geology at the University of Cambridge. Early life Oliver Bulman was born in Chelsea to artist Henry Herbert Bulma ...

* Alex Deer FRS * O T Jones FRS * Drummond Matthews FRS * W H Miller FRS * Stephen Nockolds *

Noel Odell Noel Ewart Odell FRSE FGS (25 December 1890 – 21 February 1987) was an English geologist and mountaineer. In 1924 he was an oxygen officer on the Everest expedition in which George Mallory and Andrew Irvine famously perished during their summit ...

* Sir Keith O'Nions FRS * Lord Oxburgh FRS * Colin Pillinger FRS CBE *

Barrie Rickards Professor Richard Barrie Rickards (1938–2009), was Emeritus Professor in Palaeontology and Biostratigraphy at the Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University and Life Fellow of Emmanuel College. He was best known for his work on Grapt ...

(Extensive studies on graptolites) * Nick Shackleton FRS (Winner of the

Wollaston Medal The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London. The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831. It was originally made of gold (1831–1845), ...

) * R. S. J. Sparks FRS CBE * C E Tilley FRS * Harry Whittington FRS

References

External links

University of Cambridge Dept. of Earth Sciences

Sedgwick Museum

Sedgwick Club
{{Authority control Earth Sciences, Department of