Phil Gibbard

Philip Leonard Gibbard (born 1949 in Chiswick, London) is a Quaternary geologist and has been Professor of Quaternary Palaeoenvironments in the University of Cambridge, Department of Geography since 2005. [ [http://www.qpg.geog.cam.ac.uk/people/gibbard/ Profile page at University of Cambridge] ] A PhD student of Professor Richard Gilbert West [ [http://www.quaternary.group.cam.ac.uk/history/directors/west.html Richard West's Quaternary Group Profile Page] ] in the Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge (1971-1974), he investigated the diversion of the "River Thames" from its course through Hertfordshire to its present course through London. Later he established the stratigraphy and palaeogeography of the "Thames" in the Middle (1985) and Lower Thames Valley (1994). He has since undertaken many collaborative, palaeoenvironmental investigations. This multidisciplinary approach has led to him working throughout Britain, offshore areas, especially the North Sea, English Channel and the formation of the Strait of Dover, and neighbouring countries.

He spent 2 years in the University of Oulu, Finland (1974-6) and 1 year at the University of Western Ontario, Canada (1976-1977) as a post-doctoral worker before returning to Cambridge as a Post-doctoral Research Associate, and later as a Senior Post-Doctoral Research Associate, and was appointed to the University of Cambridge's staff as an Assistant Director of Research (in 1984).

In 1995 he and his research group were transferred to the University's Department of Geography. He was also appointed Docent in the Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, Finland in 1987. [ [http://www.helsinki.fi/geology/ Department of Geology, University of Helsinki] ]

Through co-operation with Jürgen Ehlers, his interest in glaciation has led to the publication of seven books. Most recently they were joint co-ordinators of an INQUA Commission on Glaciation workgroup which compiled an atlas of world Quaternary glaciation limits (see below Ehlers & Gibbard, 2004 a, b, c). [ [http://www.inqua.tcd.ie/ INQUA] ] He is also interested in the application of stratigraphical principles and chairs the International Commission on Stratigraphy Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy. [ [http://www.quaternary.stratigraphy.org.uk/ International Commission on Stratigraphy Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy] ]

Phil Gibbard was awarded the Geological Society's Lyell Fund prize in April 1999 'for excellence in Quaternary geology'. [ [http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/index.html Geological Society] ]

His publications include over 200 papers, 18 books, 4 charts and numerous reports and reviews.

References

Notes

*Gibbard, P.L. 1985 "Pleistocene history of the Middle Thames Valley". University Press: Cambridge 155pp.
*Gibbard, P.L. 1988 The history of the great north-west European rivers during the past three million years. "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London" B318, 559-602.
*Gibbard, P.L. 1994 "The Pleistocene history of the Lower Thames Valley". University Press: Cambridge. 229pp.
*Ehlers, J., & Gibbard, P.L. (editors) 2004a "Extent and chronology of Glaciation. Volume 1: Europe." Elsevier Science: Amsterdam 488pp.
*Ehlers, J., & Gibbard, P.L. (editors) 2004b "Extent and chronology of Glaciation. Volume 2: North America." Elsevier Science: Amsterdam 450pp. *Ehlers, J., & Gibbard, P.L. (editors) 2004c "Extent and chronology of Glaciation. Volume 3: South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica." Elsevier Science: Amsterdam 433pp.
*Gibbard, P. 2007 Europe cut adrift. "Nature" 448, 259-260.