Aberdeen Geological Society: In the Footsteps of Nigel Trewin

The Friends of Hugh Miller, in association with Aberdeen Geological Society, are proud to present the inaugural Nigel Trewin Lecture. Professor Trewin was a leading light of both organisations and is well known to many across the fields of Geology, Palaeontology, and the History of both sciences.

About Professor Trewin

Professor Nigel Trewin, ‘Geology of Scotland’ editor, renowned Old Red Sandstone expert, lecturer and dear friend to many, inspired generations of geologists from his long held post at Aberdeen University.

With over 100 publications on Scottish geology relating to ORS fish beds, sedimentology and palaeoecology his contribution to the science is immeasurable.

Nigel will be remembered by his students as the witty geology professor who delivered each lecture with humour and an unbroken smile giving his nick name as ‘The Joker’. One of his most memorable lectures was discussing geology and whisky where he concluded that all Scottish whisky is from water sourced either from sandstone or granite with one anomaly. The anomalous whisky which had its source waters run over the Old Red Sandstone Fish Beds was also his favourite, believing it contained the ghosts of these ancient sea creatures.

About the Talk

The Rhynie cherts provide a unique insight into the nature of life on land in Early Devonian times. Although studies of the plants involved have dominated studies for over a hundred years, more recent progress in reconstructing an entire terrestrial ecosystem has largely been driven by Professor Nigel Trewin,  who had particular interests in the nature of the hotspring deposits  (a fascinating glimpse of a Scottish landscape some 407 million years ago) and their animals. This talk will concentrate on data not available from the coalified fossils that typify the Old Red Sandstone rocks elsewhere in Scotland and in southern Britain, and will celebrate the beauty and scientific relevance of the exceptionally preserved organisms preserved by the siliceous outflows of a long-extinct geyser.

Admission is FREE, No booking required.

Speaker

Professor Dianne Edwards MA, PhD, ScD(Cantab) CBE FRS FRSE FLS FLSW

Venue

Fraser Noble Building

Contact

For more information please contact Marcus Duffy at: m.duffy@abdn.ac.uk