Michael Meadows (professor)

Michael Edward Meadows was born on 25 July 1955 in Liverpool, UK. He attended the University of Sussex between 1973 and 1976. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Biological Science, before obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy from the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge in 1979.{{Cite web |last=Congress |first=The Library of |title=Meadows, M. E. (Michael Edward) - LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies {{!}} Library of Congress, from LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies (Library of Congress) |url=https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n86030603.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=id.loc.gov}}{{Cite web |title=ORCID |url=https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8322-3055 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=orcid.org}}

After his PhD, Meadows joined Liverpool John Moores University (1979–1983) before moving to Rhodes University, South Africa, from 1983 until 1986, when he since joined the University of Cape Town and became a professor in 2003.{{Cite book |last1=Visser |first1=Gustav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-iHDgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Michael+Meadows%22+professor+-wikipedia&pg=PR2 |title=The Origin and Growth of Geography as a discipline at South Africa Universities |last2=Donaldson |first2=Ronnie |last3=Seethal |first3=Cecil |date=2016-09-20 |publisher=AFRICAN SUN MeDIA |isbn=978-1-928357-25-4 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Emeritus Professor Michael E Meadows - UCT Science |url=https://science.uct.ac.za/department-egs/staff-emeritus-honorary-professors/emeritus-professor-michael-e-meadows}} Since 2019, he has been an emeritus professor at the University of Cape Town. He is a visiting professor at Nanjing University, China, after being awarded a fellowship by the Geographical Research and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Pankaj |date=2022-05-23 |title=IGU President Professor Michael Meadows conferred Fellowship by the Geographical Society of China (GSC) |url=https://igu-online.org/igu-president-professor-michael-meadows-conferred-fellowship-by-the-geographical-society-of-china-gsc/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=IGU Online |language=en-US}} Meadows is a distinguished professor at East China Normal University, Jian Feng Professor at Zhejiang Normal University, visiting professor at Beijing Normal University and Yulin University.{{Cite web |title=ORCID |url=https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8322-3055 |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=orcid.org}}

Meadows was the head of the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences (2001–2017) and chair of the Science Faculty Ethics Committee and the University Sports Council.{{Cite web |title=Four new Fellows for UCT |url=http://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2018-10-12-four-new-fellows-for-uct |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.news.uct.ac.za |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=UCT alum wins Earthshot prize for restoring coral reefs |url=http://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2021-10-27-uct-alum-wins-earthshot-prize-for-restoring-coral-reefs |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.news.uct.ac.za |language=en}} He has been the president of the International Geographical Union since 2021{{Cite web |last=terry_administrator |date=2018-08-29 |title=Executive Committee 2022-2024 |url=https://igu-online.org/organization/executive-committee-2020-2022/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=IGU Online |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211213912/https://igu-online.org/organization/executive-committee-2020-2022/ |url-status=dead }} and served before as Secretaries-General and Treasurer from 2010.{{Cite web |title=Michael Meadows, International Geographical Union: Profile and Biography |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/17486856 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}

Meadows research focuses on physical geography,{{Cite web |title=Michael Meadows |url=https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=C1bXvDwAAAAJ&hl=en |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=scholar.google.co.za}} namely geomorphological and biogeographical effects of both natural and human-caused climate change,{{Cite journal |last1=Chase |first1=Brian M. |last2=Meadows |first2=Michael E. |last3=Carr |first3=Andrew S. |last4=Reimer |first4=Paula J. |date=2010-07-01 |title=Evidence for progressive Holocene aridification in southern Africa recorded in Namibian hyrax middens: Implications for African Monsoon dynamics and the African Humid Period |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033589400009893/type/journal_article |journal=Quaternary Research |language=en |volume=74 |issue=1 |pages=36–45 |doi=10.1016/j.yqres.2010.04.006 |bibcode=2010QuRes..74...36C |s2cid=140671976 |issn=0033-5894}}{{Cite web |title=South Africa: Ancient Dassie Dung Holds Secrets On Tackling Climate Crisis |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202011050379.html |website=allAfrica}} as well as Quaternary environmental change,{{Cite journal |last1=Truc |first1=Loïc |last2=Chevalier |first2=Manuel |last3=Favier |first3=Charly |last4=Cheddadi |first4=Rachid |last5=Meadows |first5=Michael E. |last6=Scott |first6=Louis |last7=Carr |first7=Andrew S. |last8=Smith |first8=Gideon F. |last9=Chase |first9=Brian M. |date=2013-09-01 |title=Quantification of climate change for the last 20,000years from Wonderkrater, South Africa: Implications for the long-term dynamics of the Intertropical Convergence Zone |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018213003015 |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=386 |pages=575–587 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.06.024|bibcode=2013PPP...386..575T |hdl=10316/27450 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Chase |first1=Brian M. |last2=Meadows |first2=Michael E. |date=2007-10-01 |title=Late Quaternary dynamics of southern Africa's winter rainfall zone |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0012825207000773 |journal=Earth-Science Reviews |language=en |volume=84 |issue=3–4 |pages=103–138 |doi=10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.06.002|bibcode=2007ESRv...84..103C }}{{Cite web |title=Geomorphology and Society |url=https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Geomorphology-and-Society-by-Michael-E-Meadows-editor-Jiun-Chuan-Lin-editor/9784431567509 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=blackwells.co.uk |language=en}} land degradation and desertification,{{Cite journal |last1=Dean |first1=W.R.J. |last2=Hoffinan |first2=M.T. |last3=Meadows |first3=M.E. |last4=Milton |first4=S.J. |date=1995-07-01 |title=Desertification in the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa: review and reassessment |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140196305800011 |journal=Journal of Arid Environments |language=en |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=247–264 |doi=10.1016/S0140-1963(05)80001-1|bibcode=1995JArEn..30..247D }}{{Cite web |title=Goodreads |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15610876-soil-erosion-and-land-degradation-in-regions-of-mediterranean |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Goodreads |language=en}} and Palaeoecology.{{Cite journal |last1=Meadows |first1=M. E. |last2=Linder |first2=H. P. |date=1993-07-01 |title=Special Paper: A Palaeoecological Perspective on the Origin of Afromontane Grasslands |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2845584 |journal=Journal of Biogeography |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=345 |doi=10.2307/2845584|jstor=2845584 |bibcode=1993JBiog..20..345M }}{{Cite journal |last1=Carr |first1=Andrew S. |last2=Boom |first2=Arnoud |last3=Grimes |first3=Hannah L. |last4=Chase |first4=Brian M. |last5=Meadows |first5=Michael E. |last6=Harris |first6=Angela |date=2014-02-01 |title=Leaf wax n-alkane distributions in arid zone South African flora: Environmental controls, chemotaxonomy and palaeoecological implications |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0146638013002726 |journal=Organic Geochemistry |language=en |volume=67 |pages=72–84 |doi=10.1016/j.orggeochem.2013.12.004|bibcode=2014OrGeo..67...72C }} He has used a variety of proxies, including pollen, diatoms, biomarkers, stable isotope geochemistry, sedimentology, and evidence from lakes, wetlands, and, more atypically, accumulations of faecal and urine material deposited by Hyrax capensis, in his reconstructions of past southern African environments.{{Cite journal |last1=Chase |first1=B.M. |last2=Meadows |first2=M.E. |last3=Scott |first3=L. |last4=Thomas |first4=D.S.G. |last5=Marais |first5=E. |last6=Sealy |first6=J. |last7=Reimer |first7=P.J. |date=2009-08-01 |title=A record of rapid Holocene climate change preserved in hyrax middens from southwestern Africa |url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology/article/37/8/703-706/103906 |journal=Geology |language=en |volume=37 |issue=8 |pages=703–706 |doi=10.1130/G30053A.1 |bibcode=2009Geo....37..703C |issn=0091-7613}} He is a member of the Academia Europaea, Royal Geographical Society, Royal Society of South Africa, African Academy of Sciences, Society of South African Geographers and Southern African Quaternary Association.{{Cite web |title=Academy of Europe: Meadows Michael |url=https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Meadows_Michael |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=www.ae-info.org}} He is on the editorial board of Natural Hazards (Springer Nature).{{Cite web |title=Natural Hazards |url=https://www.springer.com/journal/11069/editors |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Springer |language=en}}

Meadows was elected a Fellow of the Society of South African Geographers and Southern African Quaternary Association in 2000, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 2016, a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa in 2015,{{Cite web |title=Current Fellows – Royal Society of South Africa |url=https://www.royalsocietysa.org.za/index.php/current-fellows/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |language=en-GB}} a Fellow of the University of Cape Town since 2016, and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Meadows Michael {{!}} The AAS |url=https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/meadows-michael |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=www.aasciences.africa |archive-date=2022-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226192225/https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/meadows-michael |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=Academy of Europe: Meadows Michael |url=https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Meadows_Michael |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.ae-info.org}}

{{Scholia}}

• Chase, Brian M.; Meadows, Michael E. (2007–10). Late Quaternary dynamics of southern Africa's winter rainfall zone. Earth-Science Reviews. 84 (3–4): 103–138. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.06.002.
• Chase, B.M.; Meadows, M.E.; Scott, L.; Thomas, D.S.G.; Marais, E.; Sealy, J.; Reimer, P.J. (2009–08). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology/article/37/8/703-706/103906 A record of rapid Holocene climate change preserved in hyrax middens from southwestern Africa]. Geology. 37 (8): 703–706. doi:10.1130/G30053A.1. ISSN 0091-7613.
• Chase, Brian M.; Meadows, Michael E.; Carr, Andrew S.; Reimer, Paula J. (2010–07). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033589400009893/type/journal_article Evidence for progressive Holocene aridification in southern Africa recorded in Namibian hyrax middens: Implications for African Monsoon dynamics and the African Humid Period]. Quaternary Research. 74 (1): 36–45. doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2010.04.006. ISSN 0033-5894.
• Truc, Loïc; Chevalier, Manuel; Favier, Charly; Cheddadi, Rachid; Meadows, Michael E.; Scott, Louis; Carr, Andrew S.; Smith, Gideon F.; Chase, Brian M. (2013–09). [https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018213003015 Quantification of climate change for the last 20,000years from Wonderkrater, South Africa: Implications for the long-term dynamics of the Intertropical Convergence Zone]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 386: 575–587. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.06.024.
• Carr, Andrew S.; Boom, Arnoud; Grimes, Hannah L.; Chase, Brian M.; Meadows, Michael E.; Harris, Angela (2014-02-01). [https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0146638013002726 Leaf wax n-alkane distributions in arid zone South African flora: Environmental controls, chemotaxonomy and palaeoecological implications]. Organic Geochemistry. 67: 72–84. doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2013.12.004.
• Meadows, M. E.; Linder, H. P. (1993-07-01). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2845584 Special Paper: A Palaeoecological Perspective on the Origin of Afromontane Grasslands]. Journal of Biogeography. 20 (4): 345. doi:10.2307/2845584.

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Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge

Category:Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences

Category:Academic staff of Rhodes University

Category:Academic staff of the University of Cape Town

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of South Africa

Category:21st-century geographers

Category:South African climatologists