Shrinking, wrinkling planets, racing for resources, unravelling revolutions, shaping the future… This edition of Geoscientist helps convey the remarkable variety and significance of our science, with interviews and articles that take us from thermochemical piles lurking at Earth’s deepest mantle depths to tectonism in the innermost reaches of our Solar System, from Earth’s deep biosphere to the search for exoplanetary life, from the hazardous processes that create Earth’s crust and our mineral resources to the complexities surrounding the discovery and exploitation of those resources – past, present, and future.
Andy’s clear-headed and reflective approach to decisions on content, publishing and various tenders will be greatly missed
This edition is the penultimate published with Andy Fleet’s thoughtful input. After six years supporting and advising our editorial team, Andy will step down following the Annual General Meeting on 12 June. It has been wonderful working with Andy – his clear-headed and reflective approach to decisions on content, publishing, and various tenders, as well as to numerous thorny problems will be greatly missed. On behalf of the editorial team, advisory panel, and the whole Society, we offer Andy our heartfelt thanks and wish him an enjoyable and relaxing retirement.
We are delighted to announce that from September, and following a vote at the upcoming AGM, Ruth Allington will take over from Andy as Editor-in-Chief (ably supported by David Shilston who has agreed to stay on as Deputy Editor-in-Chief). An Engineering Geologist by training, Ruth is, of course, familiar to us all having been President of the Society for the past two years. Moving from the Presidency into the Editor-in-Chief role means that Ruth brings an in-depth understanding of the Society and how it currently functions, the Fellowship more broadly, as well as the challenges and opportunities we face. Not to mention, Ruth’s expert mediation skills will be invaluable.
Besides the opportunity to vote on Geoscientist’s new Editor-in-Chief, the AGM offers a review and discussion of the Society’s many brilliant activities in 2023 (as highlighted in the Annual Review), as well as the chance to elect new Council members and Officers (see page 16 for details). The meeting will be followed by President’s Day (our annual celebration of trailblazing people from across the geoscience community), which will be Ruth’s last in her role as President. On page 18, Ruth discusses her pride and immense joy at having led the Society over the past two years, while on page 20, our incoming President, Jon Gluyas, discusses his aspirations for his upcoming term. For those who enjoy audio content, you can listen to the full, extended interviews with both Ruth and Jon via our podcast series at www.geoscientist.online/section/podcast.
As most of you will now know, the Society, together with the other courtyard societies, recently secured our lease to stay at Burlington House over the long term (p 6), and we look forward to again welcoming you to our London home for the AGM and Awards Ceremony in June. However, both events are hybrid, giving the option of virtual attendance for Fellows, family, and friends who cannot join the celebrations in-person. Read on for full details of the events, including interviews with some of our inspiring awardees.
Amy Whitchurch, Executive Editor
