Contact

Tamisiea Receives 2007 Geodesy Section Award

4th April 2008

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) presents a number of awards each year to scientists engaged in different areas of geophysics. These prestigious awards are usually given to researchers with a long career history, but occasionally they go to younger people.

The AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco in December last year saw POL's Mark Tamisiea presented with the 2007 Geodesy Section Award. The citation notes Mark's work in bridging the solid Earth, geodesy and sea level communities. In particular, he has made advances in the use of space gravity (GRACE) data to determine the geometry of the enormous Laurentide (N America) ice sheet, demonstrating conclusively that it was composed of two major domes (see his paper in Science), and to estimate the extent of the recent rapid melting of glaciers such as in Alaska and Patagonia.

In his acknowledgement of the award, Mark noted that sea level studies provide the best context for making progress in many of these areas of geophysics, as they require the use of combinations of many different types of information. In addition, he stated that he was looking forward to working with new colleagues at POL.

Read all about Mark's award  »

---

Notes

The Proudman Oceanographic (POL) scientific research focuses on oceanography encompassing global sea-levels and geodesy, numerical modelling of continental shelf seas and coastal sediment processes. This research alongside activities of surveying, monitoring, data management and forecasting provides strategic support for the wider mission of the Natural Environment Research Council.

As a public funded body it is part of our remit to inform the public of the science and research undertaken at the laboratory. Attending events like the 'Ocean Awareness Weekend' at the Blue Planet Aquarium offers the opportunity for our scientists to meet members of the public and present the laboratory's work.

The Natural Environment Research Council is one of the UK's eight Research Councils. It uses a budget of about £ 350m a year to fund and carry out impartial scientific research in the sciences of the environment. NERC trains the next generation of independent environmental scientists. It is addressing some of the key questions facing mankind, such as global warming, renewable energy and sustainable economic development.