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The ongoing geological mapping work of the BGS in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the feature of an article in the July 2010 edition of ‘Capital Letter’, the newsletter of the British Business Group (BBG) in the UAE. The article ‘Lines in the sand’ describes the work of the BGS mapping teams and the cooperation that they rely on from the local Emirati population.
More information is available from the UAE mapping project web page or by contacting the project leader, Richard Ellison.
The BGS Keyworth library is undergoing a major restructuring project and is being relocated to another building. The collection is being rationalised, with selected stock being distributed to other collections within the UK.
The process has commenced and is expected to be completed by late 2010 and this will inevitably affect the range of services that we currently offer. It is unavoidable that there will be periods when we have to close, especially when stock is being transferred to the new location.
We anticipate closure from October 11 through to the end of November.
However, we shall endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum and continue to provide a professional service.
Please notify us in advance of visiting by e-mailing our Help Desk or phoning 0115 936 3205.
More information about Changes in access to BGS Keyworth Library
Congratulations to BGS geoscientist Katy Mee who was recently voted one of 20 winners of an online, science-communication competition 'I'm a Scientist, Get me out of Here!'. The competition, funded by a Society Award from the Wellcome trust, enables students to talk to real scientists, who compete for a prize of £500.
For two weeks students read about the scientists' work, ask them questions and engage in live chats, whilst the students vote for the scientist they want to win the money. Katy, a volcanologist and GIS expert, competed against a molecular cell biologist, a conservation biologist, an animal welfare researcher and an astronomer. She answered questions on a range of subjects, from geoengineering and animal testing to why you can't sneeze with your eyes open, winning the student vote for the Aluminium Zone.
More information on 'I'm a Scientist, Get me out of Here!'
Statement from Professor Alan J Thorpe, Chief Executive, NERC 23 June 2010.
The Natural Environment Research Council is re-affirming the earlier decision to close the BGS core store at Gilmerton and re-locate the collections to the newly extended National Geoscience Data Centre at Keyworth.
The relocation of cores will begin in late summer 2010, and is expected to take some 18 months. This decision has attracted attention and it is clearly unpopular with some, but BGS and NERC have a responsibility to ensure they continue to deliver much-needed science and services with maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
The National Geoscience Data Centre will be a national and international cutting-edge facility fit for purpose for decades to come. In closing the Gilmerton site, NERC and BGS are also driving greater efficiency and reducing their estates footprint.
Maintaining multiple core store facilities across the UK is not cost-effective and utilising the Keyworth facility will create real operational savings and enable the realisation of a capital asset.
The new facility will future-proof BGS's capacity to store on behalf of the nation other strategically important collections such as those that may be produced during future investigations into radioactive waste management, and carbon capture and storage in the North Sea and Irish Sea.
For background information see Relocating UKCS cores
The East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is supporting the BGS to fund a two-year pilot of ALERT technology for real-time monitoring of strategically important and at risk earthworks within the transport network; bringing new approaches to Geophysical Tomography and incorporating the latest ALERT technology to advance BGS Transportation Geotechnical Research.
New ALERT technology will provide the basis for early warning of potential rain-induced failure events, and hence aid strategic planning and design of low cost, targeted preventative maintenance to ensure the long-term stability of earth structures.
An embankment study site at East Leake, Nottinghamshire, will be set up to prove the concept of ALERT-ME to fully understand the true volumetric (3D) impact of groundwater movement throughout highly heterogeneous, Victorian earthworks.
Working with emda and Transport iNet, the BGS will explore the commercial opportunities in this area. Thanks to the Great Central Railway for their co-operation in this project.
Contact Dr David Gunn or Dr Richard Ogilvy for more information about ALERT-ME.
A new Marine Environmental Mapping Programme (MAREMAP) initiative led by the British Geological Survey and the National Oceanography Centre with the Scottish Association for Marine Science will be launched at the National Maritime Museum in London on 23 June 2010.
The aim of the initiative is to develop detailed sea-bed and geological information necessary to underpin the future development of our marine resources effectively and efficiently.
MAREMAP will bring together the expertise and resources of NERC to deliver a National research programme with annual funding of around £1M.
Seven themes are proposed, with a focus on UK waters:
Congratulations to Randy Parrish for being awarded the Murchison Medal by the Geological Society of London this week. The Murchison Medal is awarded to people who have made a significant contribution to science by means of a substantial body of research. Council looks at breadth as well as depth in pure and applied hard rock science.
More information Murchison Medal by the Geological Society of London
OpenGeoscience achieved a Highly Commended award for Innovation in Central Government at the ESRI (UK) GIS Innovation Awards on Monday 10 May 2010 at its 'Shaping your vision' annual conference at the London Hilton Metropole.
ESRI Press Release BGS Deploys ESRI Technology to Deliver Geologic Data at Street Level
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