Geoffrey Eglinton
{{Short description|British chemist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|11|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|3|11|1927|11|01|df=y}}
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| other_names =
| residence =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| fields =
| workplaces = University of Bristol
| patrons =
| alma_mater = University of Manchester
| thesis_title =
| thesis_url =
| thesis_year =
| doctoral_advisor =
| academic_advisors =
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students =
| known_for = Eglinton reaction
| influences =
| influenced =
| awards = FRS (1976){{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117025533/https://royalsociety.org/people/geoffrey-eglinton-11381/|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/geoffrey-eglinton-11381/|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Professor Geoffrey Eglinton FRS|archivedate=2015-11-17}} One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from the royalsociety.org website where: {{quote|"All text published under the heading 'Biography' on Fellow profile pages is available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License." --{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org/about-us/terms-conditions-policies/ |title=Royal Society Terms, conditions and policies |accessdate=2016-03-09 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925220834/https://royalsociety.org/about-us/terms-conditions-policies/ |archivedate=25 September 2015 |df=dmy-all }}}}
| spouse =
| partner =
| children = Timothy Eglinton
David Eglinton
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}Geoffrey Eglinton, FRS{{Cite journal |last1=Brassell |first1=Simon C. |last2=Eglinton FRS |first2=Timothy I. |date=2024 |title=Geoffrey Eglinton. 1 November 1927—11 March 2016 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.2023.0004 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |volume=76|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2023.0004 |doi-access=free }} (1 November 1927 – 11 March 2016) was a British chemist and emeritus professor and senior research fellow in earth sciences at the University of Bristol.{{cite journal|last1=Freeman|first1=Katherine H.|authorlink=Katherine H. Freeman|title=Geoffrey Eglinton (1927–2016) Pioneer of molecular-fossil research|journal=Nature|volume=532|issue=7599|year=2016|pages=314|doi=10.1038/532314a|pmid=27127818|bibcode=2016Natur.532..314F|doi-access=free}}
Education
Eglinton was educated at Sale Grammar School and the University of Manchester where he was awarded Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science degrees.{{Who's Who | title=Eglinton, Prof. Geoffrey | id = U14764 | volume = 2014 | edition = online edition via Oxford University Press}}
Research and career
Eglinton's insights into the geological fate of organic compounds have made him an internationally respected biogeochemist. In addition to the significance of his research on molecular biomarkers (‘chemical fossils’), he was responsible for developing numerous experimental techniques that remain in widespread use.
One of the first researchers to illustrate the potential of coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in organic geochemistry, Eglinton also pioneered the use of infrared spectroscopy to characterise both inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonding. These innovative techniques improved understanding of diverse aspects of the distribution, stable isotopic content and provenance of organic compounds in the global environment.
Awards and honours
Eglinton was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1976. He won the Royal Medal in 1997 "In recognition of his contribution to our understanding of the way in which chemicals move from the living biosphere to the fossil geosphere, in particular the origin, genesis, maturation and migration of oil which has had great repercussions on the petroleum industry.",{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1750 |title=Royal Medal Winners: 2007-1990 |accessdate=2008-12-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219185002/http://www.royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1750 |archivedate=19 December 2007 }}
With John M. Hayes he was awarded the Urey Medal of the European Association of Geochemistry in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.eag.eu.com/awards/urey-award/|title=Urey Award European Association of Geochemistry|publisher=European Association of Geochemistry|accessdate=15 March 2016}}
In 2000 he received the V. M. Goldschmidt Award of the Geochemical Society.{{cite web|url=http://www.geochemsoc.org/awards/vmgoldschmidtaward/|title=V.M. Goldschmidt Award :: Geochemical Society|publisher=Geochemical Society|accessdate=15 March 2016}}
He was awarded the Wollaston Medal in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/null/lang/en/page750.html|title=Wollaston Medal|work=Award Winners since 1831|publisher=Geological Society of London|accessdate=2009-02-25|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321180704/http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/null/lang/en/page750.html|archivedate=21 March 2009|df=dmy-all}}
He was a co-winner of the Dan David Prize in 2008 for his studies of organic chemical fossils, which reveal the inhabitants and climates of ancient worlds. (He shared the prize with Ellen Moseley-Thompson and Lonnie G. Thompson). {{cite web|url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2008/5822.html |title=Bristol University | News | 2008: Dan David Prize |website=Bristol.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2016-04-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dandavidprize.org/index.php/laureates/laureates-2008/55-2008-future-geosciences/75-future-2008-geosciences.html |title=Dan David Prize laureate 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723051339/http://www.dandavidprize.org/index.php/laureates/laureates-2008/55-2008-future-geosciences/75-future-2008-geosciences.html |archivedate=23 July 2011 }}
The Eglinton reaction is named after him. Professor Guy Orpen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, said of his achievements: "He was one of the giants. His influence is still a key strand of our institutional future, and will be for a long time to come."{{cite web|url=http://bristol.ac.uk/news/2016/march/geoff-eglinton.html |title=Bristol University | News | March: Geoff Eglinton |website=Bristol.ac.uk |date=2016-03-14 |accessdate=2016-04-28}}
Geoffrey’s team at the University of Bristol’s celebrated Organic Geochemistry Unit was chosen to conduct the first organic analyses of Moon rocks brought to Earth in 1969 by astronauts aboard Apollo 11. He has been awarded the NASA Gold Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement.
Personal life
Eglinton married Pamela Joan Coupland,{{when|date=April 2016}} and had two sons, and one daughter. His son Timothy Eglinton is a Professor of Biogeoscience at the Geological Institute, ETH Zürich.{{cite journal|last1=Eglinton|first1=Timothy I.|last2=Eglinton|first2=Geoffrey|title=Molecular proxies for paleoclimatology|journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters|volume=275|issue=1–2|year=2008|pages=1–16|doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2008.07.012|bibcode=2008E&PSL.275....1E}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eglinton, Geoffrey}}
Category:Scientists from Cardiff
Category:Wollaston Medal winners
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society
Category:Academics of the University of Bristol
Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester