Keith O'Nions facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Keith O'Nions
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Keith O'Nions
26 September 1944 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Nottingham University of Alberta |
| Awards | Bigsby Medal (1983) Arthur Holmes Medal (1995) Lyell Medal (1995) Knight Bachelor (1999) Urey Medal (2001) HonFREng (2005) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Alberta University of Oslo University of Oxford Imperial College London Columbia University University of Cambridge |
| Thesis | Geochronology of the Bamble sector of the Baltic Shield, South Norway (1969) |
| Doctoral advisor | Roger D. Morton |
Sir Robert Keith O'Nions, born on September 26, 1944, is a famous British scientist. He used to be the head of Imperial College London, which is a big university. He also led the Research Councils UK and was a professor at the University of Oxford, studying rocks and minerals.
Contents
Growing Up and Studying
Keith O'Nions went to Yardley Grammar School in Birmingham. He loved learning about rocks and the Earth, so he studied geology at the University of Nottingham. After that, he earned his PhD degree at the University of Alberta in Canada. Then, he worked as a researcher in Norway at the University of Oslo.
A Career in Science
From 1971 to 1975, Sir Keith taught about the chemistry of the Earth at the University of Oxford. Then he moved to America to be a professor at Columbia University. In 1979, he became a special professor at the University of Cambridge through the Royal Society. He stayed there until 1995. After that, he went back to Oxford to teach about the physics and chemistry of minerals.
In 1999, he was made a Knight by the Queen, which means he got the title "Sir." From 2000 to 2004, he was the main science advisor for the Ministry of Defence. Later, he became the Director-General of the Research Councils UK, which helps fund science research. In 2008, he started leading a new science and technology institute at Imperial College, London.
In 2010, Sir Keith became the acting head of Imperial College London. Later that year, he was officially chosen to be the head, called the Rector, until 2014.
Awards and Special Recognition
Sir Keith O'Nions has received many awards and special honors for his work in science.
Honorary Degrees
He has been given honorary degrees from many universities, which means they recognize his important contributions even though he didn't study there.
| Year | Honor |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Knight Bachelor - For his great work in Earth Science. |
| 2000 | Honorary Fellow, University of Cardiff |
| 2004 | Honorary Doctor of Science, Herriot-Watt University |
| 2005 | Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Glasgow |
| 2005 | Honorary Doctor of Science, Royal Holloway |
| 2005 | Docteur Honoris Causa, University of Paris |
| 2006 | Honorary Doctor of Science, Loughborough University |
| 2007 | Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Alberta |
| 2007 | Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Edinburgh |
| 2007 | Honorary Doctor of Science, Abertay University |
| 2009 | Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Nottingham |
| 2010 | Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Birmingham |
| 2018 | Honorary Doctor of Science, Imperial College London |
| 2019 | Honorary Doctor of Letters, Nanyang Technological University |
Science Awards
- In 1979, he won the James B Macelwane Award from the American Geophysical Union.
- In 1983, he received the Bigsby Medal from the Geological Society of London.
- In 1985, he was named the Hallimond Lecturer by the Mineralogical Society.
- In 1986, he was the UK-Canada Rutherford Lecturer for the Royal Society and the William Smith Lecturer for the Geological Society of London.
- In 1990, he was the Ingerson Lecturer for the Geological Society of America.
- In 1995, he received the Arthur Holmes Medal from the European Union of Geosciences and the Lyell Medal from the Geological Society of London.
- In 1998, he was the Jaeger-Hales Lecturer at Australian National University.
- In 2001, he won the Urey Medal from the European Association of Geochemistry.
- In 2004, he was named the Bruce Peller Prize Lecturer by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- In 2005, he became an HonFREng of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- He is also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
In September 2017, the Natural Environment Research Council chose him to lead the new board of the British Geological Survey. Sir Keith also served on the Board of A*Star, Singapore, from 2013 to 2021. He was the Chair of Cambridge Enterprise from 2014 to 2020 and is currently the Chair of Council for the University of Nottingham.
Family Life
In 1967, Sir Keith married Rita Bill. They have three daughters together.
