Iain Stewart (geologist)

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For other people with a similar name, see Ian Stewart.
Iain Stewart
Born 1964 (age 48–49)
East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Alma mater University of Strathclyde, Bristol University
Occupation
Known for
Title Professor Iain Stewart

Iain Simpson Stewart MBE (born 1964) is a Scottish geologist, professor and broadcaster.

Contents

Early life and career[edit]

Born in East Kilbride, in Lanarkshire,[1] he has two younger brothers, Graeme and Frazer. He attended Mount Cameron Primary and Claremont High School (1976–1982).

Stewart was a child actor and holder of an Equity card. In 1978 he appeared in a Scottish series, Huntingtower.[1][2] Having left acting behind, he studied geography and geology, and graduated from Strathclyde University (Glasgow, Scotland) in 1986. He obtained his doctorate in 1990 at the University of Bristol on research into earthquakes in Greece and Turkey.[1] In 1990 he began teaching geology at the West London Institute of Higher Education in Osterley (occupying the Warden's flat with his wife for several years), and from 1995 at Brunel University due to its merger with WLIHE. After 12 years in London he moved back to Scotland to develop a new career as a science broadcaster.[1] Nostalgic for Brunel, he said "And invariably, you move on to places that for all their benefits, seem surprisingly narrow, and more fallow, in comparison. In short, it was a remarkable place to be".[3]. He moved to the University of Plymouth in 2004, later becoming Professor of Geoscience Communication.

Early broadcasting[edit]

Stewart's re-appeared on television was as an expert academic for Helike - The Real Atlantis, a 2002 BBC Horizon film about the destruction of the Greek city of Helike by earthquake and tidal wave in 373 BCE, newly rediscovered in 2001.[4] This, he says, "gave me a hunger to get more geology on telly."[5] He featured in another Horizon film, Earthquake Storms, in April 2003,[6] before appearing as a team member in the fourth series of Rough Science (shown January/February 2004), a series where a group of scientists is challenged to solve tasks using only the resources of the local surroundings and a small set of supplies.[7] In March 2011, shortly after the 2011 Japan Earthquake he presented Japan Earthquake: A Horizon Special. [8].

Stewart presented Britain's Labs on BBC Radio 4 in 2011.

Research[edit]

His main research interests are in the broad area of Earth hazards and natural disasters, particularly in terms of identifying past major earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions in the Mediterranean region.[9] Stewart also specializes in geology's effect on culture and religion throughout the history of the world.[10] He appears in other roles, including as a scientific commentator.[11]

Stewart was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to geology and science communication.[12]

Other activities[edit]

As well as teaching at Plymouth University, he is a patron of the English Riviera Geopark, a member of the Scientific Board of UNESCO’s International Geological Programme and chair of its ‘Hazards’ theme, a vice-president of The Geographical Association and its primary Geography ‘Champion’, a member of the Steering Committee of the IUGS-Commission on Geoscience for Environmental Management Working Group on 'Communicating Environmental Geoscience', a member of the UK National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement's Academic Action Research group, and a member of The Geological Society of London's external relations committee. He is a member of the Board of Directors at the Centre for Research into Earth Energy Systems, University of Durham.[13]

Work[edit]

Selected broadcasts[edit]

  • Journeys from the Centre of the Earth (2004), six one-hour films charting how geology has shaped the history of the Mediterranean,[14] shown in the United States on Discovery's Science Channel as Hot Rocks: Geology of Civilization.[15] The series won the prestigious "Best Earth Science programme" award at the 2005 Jackson Hole Film Festival.[1]
  • Journeys into the Ring of Fire (2007); four one-hour films showing how rocks shaped the history and culture in Japan, Peru, Indonesia and California.[16]
  • Earth: The Power of the Planet (2007), U.S. title: Earth: The Biography, five one hour films (Volcano, Oceans, Atmosphere, Ice, Rare Earth) about the forces that have shaped the planet and made it what it is.[17][18][19] Cerapachys iainstewarti, a species of Madagascar ant discovered during the filming of this series, was named after Stewart.[20]
  • Ten Things You Didn't Know About... Volcanoes (2006), Tsunamis, Earthquakes, Avalanches, (2008).
  • The Climate Wars (2008), three one-hour films tracing the history of the science and politics of global warming.[21]
  • Hot Planet (2009), with Kathy Sykes, examined global warming ahead of the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.[22]
  • How Earth Made Us (2010), ASIN: B002SZQCA2 (Blu-ray), U.S. title: How the Earth Changed History, ASIN: B003DC8824,[23] five one-hour films on how geology, geography and climate have influenced mankind.
  • Walking Through Landscapes, (2010) Radio show, BBC Radio Scotland.
  • Making Scotland's Landscape, (2010) BBC television.
  • Men Of Rock (2011) about scientists working in Scotland who pioneered geological study and understanding. BBC
  • How to Grow a Planet (2012)
  • Volcano Live (2012)[24]
  • The Lost Land of the Volcano (2012)[25]
  • Rise of the Continents 4 part series (2013) BBC TV
  • Fracking: The New Energy Rush(2013) Horizon, BBC TV

Major publications[edit]

  • Sintubin, M., Stewart, I.S., Niemi, T. Altunel, E. (eds.) 2010. Ancient earthquakes. Geological Society of America Special Paper 471, 280p.
  • Pascal, C, Vermeersen, B., Stewart, I.S. (eds.) 2009. Neotectonics, seismicity and stress in glaciated regions Thematic issue of the Journal of the Geological Society. London.
  • Stewart, I.S. and J. Lynch. 2008. Earth: the biography. Washington DC: National Geographic. ISBN 1-4262-0236-9.
  • Stewart, I.S. 2005. Journeys from the centre of the Earth: how geology shaped civilization. London: Century/Random House. ISBN 1-84413-813-5
  • Morner, N.A., Stewart, I.S., Trifonov, V.G., Caputo, R., Nikonov, A.A., Kozhurin, A.I.,& Kopp, M.L. (Eds.) 2004. Active Faults in the Eastern Hemisphere. Tectonophysics Special Issue volume 380, nos. 3-4.
  • Dunne, W., Stewart, I.S. & Turner, J.P. (Eds.) 2001. Brittle Microtectonics, Neotectonics and Archaeoseismicity. Journal of Structural Geology, special issue, vol. 13, No.2/3, 500pp.
  • Stewart, I.S., Sauber, J. & Rose, J. (Eds.) 2000. Ice Sheets, Crustal Deformation and Seismicity. Journal of Quaternary Science special issue, vol. 14/15.
  • McGuire, W.J., Griffiths, D., Hancock, P.L. & Stewart, I.S. (Eds.) 2000. The Archaeology of Geological Catastrophes. Geological Society of London. Special Publication, 171, 413p. ISBN 978-1-86239-062-1
  • Stewart, I.S. and C. Vita-Finzi (eds.). 1999. Coastal Tectonics. Geological Society of London. Special Publication ISBN 1-86239-024-X

Awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Biography, English Riviera Geopark
  2. ^ Clip from Huntingtower YouTube.com
  3. ^ Memories of Past members of the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Brunel University, edited by Iris Turner, 2007
  4. ^ Horizon: Helike - The Real Atlantis, BBC Two 9.00pm Thursday 10 January 2002
  5. ^ Samantha Booth, Scots TV scientist Iain Stewart is on one-man mission to make geology sexy, Daily Record, September 6, 2008
  6. ^ Horizon: Earthquake Storms, BBC Two, Thursday 1 April, 9 pm 2003
  7. ^ Rough Science: Iain's Diaries, BBC/Open University
  8. ^ "Japan Earthquake: A Horizon Special". IMDb. 27 March, 2011. Retrieved August 05, 2011. 
  9. ^ Staff details plymouth.ac.uk
  10. ^ BBC - BBC Four Documentaries - Journeys From the Centre of the Earth - Dr Iain Stewart
  11. ^ Stewart on global warming YouTube.com
  12. ^ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60534. p. 23. 15 June 2013.
  13. ^ Iain Stewart, University of Plymouth website, Undated.Accessed 3 February 2012.
  14. ^ Journeys From The Centre Of The Earth, BBC / Open University
  15. ^ Hot Rocks: Geology of Civilization, Science Channel
  16. ^ Journeys into the Ring of Fire, BBC Four documentaries
  17. ^ Earth: The Power of the Planet, BBC
  18. ^ Earth - the power of the planet, University of Plymouth
  19. ^ Earth: the biography, National Geographic Channel
  20. ^ Brand new ant species named after TV star academic plymouth.ac.uk
  21. ^ Earth – The Climate Wars (BBC Press Office)
  22. ^ "Hot Planet". British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC One). Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. 
  23. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Changed-History-Iain-Stewart/dp/B003DC8824
  24. ^ Grant, Olly (9 July 2012). "Volcano Live, BBC Two, preview". The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  25. ^ Grant, Olly (9 July 2012). "Volcano Live, BBC Two, preview". The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 11 July 2012. 

External links[edit]

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