Bob White (geophysicist) facts for kids
Robert (Bob) Stephen White (born December 12, 1952) is a very important scientist. He is a Professor of Geophysics at Cambridge University. Geophysics is the study of Earth's physical processes. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists. He leads the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.
About Bob White
Bob White is a Fellow at St Edmund's College, Cambridge. Before that, he studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He is part of many science groups, like the Geological Society of London. He studies the Earth's moving outer layer, called the crust.
One of his most famous studies (from 1989) looked at how huge amounts of volcanic rock form. These are called flood basalts. He found that these massive lava flows happen when continents pull apart. This often happens over hot spots deep inside the Earth, called mantle plumes.
Professor White has done fieldwork in many countries. He has also guided 50 students who were getting their PhDs. Many of these students are now important scientists themselves. He has traveled to the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans for his work. His team is now studying volcanoes in places like Iceland and New Zealand. He has written over 350 scientific papers.
Awards and Honors
- In 2018, he received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is a very high award for geophysics.
