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Queen's Birthday Honours

22 June 2005

We are delighted to be able to congratulate three NERC staff who received awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours list this year.

Captain Chris Elliott from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has been awarded an MBE for services to scientific exploration and to maritime operations in polar regions.

This recognises nearly 40 years of distinguished service to BAS and the UK's interests in the Antarctic. Captain Elliot is one of only a few people with experience of operating a research ship in extreme polar environments. His seamanship and professionalism is greatly respected, especially in time of adversity. His understanding of polar and maritime issues instils confidence and enthusiasm in others. Elliott Passage, which runs between Adelaide Island and Jenny Island in Antarctica, was named after him.

Captain Elliott joined the British Antarctic Survey over 30 years ago as a junior deck officer on the RRS John Biscoe and now commands the RRS James Clark Ross, one of the most advanced oceanographic research vessels in the world.

Professor David Fowler, FRS,Science Director (Biogeochemistry) at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in Edinburgh, receives a CBE for his services to atmospheric pollution research.

Professor Fowler's research career has included work on all the major gaseous atmospheric pollutants, including several greenhouse gases. His work at the cutting edge of aerosol research includes quantifying the effects of pollutant gases on vegetation and identifying human health threats and important climate effects. He chairs and serves on a number of international expert committees which address the issues surrounding air pollution within Europe.

He says, "I was surprised and delighted to receive the award. It is a great honour and is wonderful to see the importance of our work at CEH recognised. Achieving a satisfactory balance between fundamental developments in our understanding of the science and application of the work to address practical or political issues requires constant assessment of our state of knowledge. It is in these assessments that the small steps forward in understanding are identified and are used to provide the policy advice, and it is great to see the effort recognised."

Professor Mike Hornung, retired site director of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology at Grange-Over-Sands in Cumbria, has been awarded an OBE for services to soil chemistry research.

Professor Hornung's expertise lies in the areas of impacts of acid deposition on soils and surface waters, catchment hydrochemical studies and nutrient cycling. He was one of the first in the UK to realise the potential of the catchment approach to help us understand the impacts of land use change and acid deposition in sensitive upland areas and became a leader in this field.

His in-depth knowledge of geochemical processes and soils also enabled him to develop a systematic approach to identify surface waters at risk from acidification at a regional scale. This led onto his pivotal role in developing the critical load approach which ensured the UK had an major influence in the development of air quality policies at the international level. He juggled this active scientific role with a significant management responsibility as Director of CEH Merlewood, retiring in 2003 after its move to Lancaster where he still keeps an active interest in its work.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Press release: 27/05