Research news and awards

Latest news about our research. Project progress and collaboration. Awards and achievements.

BGS Research Fellow within Organic Geochemistry

Dr Clement Uguna

Welcome to Dr Clement Uguna who has joined BGS as a Research Fellow within Organic Geochemistry and the Centre for Environmental Geochemistry. Clement is investigating the mechanism of shale gas formation and how gas is stored within shale rocks in unconventional reservoirs by using high water pressure pyrolysis technique to simulate shale gas generation as a function of temperature and pressure over geological time scales. This is to improve our understanding of the mechanism of shale gas formation and how it is stored within shale rocks.



27 February 2015
Shale gas and fracking: the science behind the controversy

Mike's book, Shale Gas and Fracking
Mike Stephenson's new book 'Shale gas and fracking: the science behind the controversy' looks at the geology and environmental aspects of shale gas from the European and American perspective, debunking the ‘bad science’ on both sides of the argument and making clear the science that does matter so that people can make an informed choice. The science that does matter is peer-reviewed and published and therefore independent. In the book Mike reviews and explains in a simple and compelling narrative the key papers and studies that form the background to the debate. Mike sets this science within the general context of the geological processes that are involved. Buy the book from Amazon


18 February 2015
BGS-University of Nottingham Collaboration

Julian Henderson

Prof Julian Henderson from the Department of Archaeology, University of Nottingham, has been appointed as Visiting Research Associate within the Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey. Julian's research interests include understand the sources and roles of geological and environmental materials such as sand, plants or clays in the production and trade of ancient materials including glass and pottery and investigating the impact of ancient mining and material production on the environment both in the past and in the present with Prof Jane Evans and Dr Simon Chenery (BGS).



10 December 2014
Ownership and Governance update

NERC logo
Update following the NERC Council meeting on the 4th of December regarding Ownership and Governance.


10 December 2014
BGS announce the loss of a valued colleague

Russ Evans

It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Russ Evans (Dr J R Evans) who sadly passed away on 1 December after a brave battle with cancer. We have lost a valued colleague and our thoughts are with his family.



3 December 2014
Association for Geographic Information Awards for Geospatial Excellence

AGI award winner
We're proud to announce our staff and projects received several nominations and awards at the Association for Geographic Information Awards for Geospatial Excellence presented by Prof Iain Stewart (University of Plymouth).


19 November 2014
Funding success

BGS staff member Sev Kender
Congratulations to Dr Sev Kender from the Centre of Environmental Geochemistry who has won a NERC-IODP small grant to work on reconstructing deep Pacific Ocean circulation since the Oligocene. The project will analyse Nd isotopes in fossil fish teeth collected during IODP Exp. 351 to the Philippine Sea.


7 November 2014
New Post Doctoral Research Associate at the BGS

Dr Jonathan Dean
Congratulations to Dr Jonathan Dean who has been appointed as a Post Doctoral Research Associate (at the BGS and in association with the School of Geography) on NERC Standard Grant: A 500,000–year environmental record from Chew Bahir, south Ethiopia: testing hypotheses of climate-driven human evolution, innovation, and dispersal. Jonathan is currently working as an Isotope Apprentice within the BGS and will transfer to this new post in March 2015.


7 November 2014
Honorary Research Fellow at University of Nottingham

BGS staff member Angela Lamb
Congratulations to Dr Angela Lamb on her appointment as Honorary Research Fellow within the Department of Archaeology, University of Nottingham. Angela’s appointment is due to her role in heading stable isotope-archaeology collaborations within the Centre for Environmental Geochemistry and her research with Dr Naomi Sykes and Dr Holly Miller on the AHRC grant: Changing Scientific and Cultural Perspectives on Human-Chicken Interactions.


7 November 2014
Honorary Research Fellow at University of Nottingham

Dr Simon Chenery
Congratulations to Dr Simon Chenery on his appointment as Honorary Research Fellow within the Department of Archaeology, University of Nottingham. Simon has worked on pottery, flints and teeth with archaeologists across the UK. His current research collaboration with Prof Julian Henderson and Prof Jane Evans is on provanancing and understanding the geochemical characteristics of source materials for Middle Eastern ancient glasses.


7 November 2014