George Malcolm Brown
Encyclopedia
Sir George Malcolm Brown, FRS (5 October 1925 - 27 March 1997) was one of the most respected geologists of the second half of the Twentieth century. His formidable reputation as an igneous petrologist enabled him to become one of the few scientists invited by NASA
to work on the moon
rock
samples recovered from the Apollo 11
lunar
mission.
Brown was born in Redcar
and was educated at Coatham School. Following a period in the RAF, he entered the geology
department of Durham University
in 1947, graduating with First Class Honours in 1950. The Professor
of Geology, Lawrence Wager
recognised Brown's abilities, and took him with him as a research student following his move to the Chair
in Geology at Oxford University. Brown's research centred on the ultrabasic complex of Rhum
, Scotland
and built upon earlier work undertaken by W.A. Deer
and L.R. Wager. He received his D.Phil in 1954.
Expeditions to Greenland
to research the Skaergaard intrusion
led Brown to a one year Harkness Fellowship
at Princeton University
. He returned to the UK in 1955 as a lecturer at Oxford University where his research involved the igneous intrusions of Skye
, Scotland
. He returned to Durham University
as Professor of Geology in 1967, which served to strengthen that department's already enviable reputation. It was during his time at Durham that Brown was invited by NASA
to undertake work on the Apollo 11
lunar
samples. A story told to Durham geology undergraduates is that Brown accidentally left the box containing the samples on a train from London
, only later to discover that NASA
had delivered the genuine samples by secure delivery direct to Durham.
His work on the lunar samples secured his worldwide reputation. Like another Durham University
geologist before him, Kingsley Dunham, Brown was appointed Director
of the British Geological Survey
in 1979. During a very difficult time for this Government institution, Brown successfully led a move of its headquarters
from London
to a site at Keyworth
, near Nottingham
. He was knight
ed upon retirement in 1985.
Brown received many awards and honours. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1975. He also received several honorary doctorates from British Universities and was awarded the Murchison Medal
of the Geological Society of London
. His early work with Lawrence Wager
led to publication of Layered Igneous Rocks, which even today remains an influential text.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
to work on the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
samples recovered from the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
lunar
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
mission.
Brown was born in Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
and was educated at Coatham School. Following a period in the RAF, he entered the geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
department of Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
in 1947, graduating with First Class Honours in 1950. The Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Geology, Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Rickard Wager, commonly known as Bill Wager, was a British geologist, explorer and mountaineer, described as "one of the finest geological thinkers of his generation" and best remembered for his work on the Skaergaard intrusion in Greenland, and for his attempt on Mount Everest in...
recognised Brown's abilities, and took him with him as a research student following his move to the Chair
Chair
A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...
in Geology at Oxford University. Brown's research centred on the ultrabasic complex of Rhum
Rùm
Rùm , a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum) is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and built upon earlier work undertaken by W.A. Deer
William Alexander Deer
William Alexander Deer was a British geologist.He was an Honorary Fellow of St John's College and Trinity Hall Cambridge, Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Cambridge from 1961, Master of Trinity Hall from 1966 to 1975, and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University from 1971...
and L.R. Wager. He received his D.Phil in 1954.
Expeditions to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
to research the Skaergaard intrusion
Skaergaard intrusion
The Skaergaard intrusion is a layered igneous intrusion in East Greenland. It comprises various rock types including gabbro, ferro diorite, anorthosite and granophyre.Discovered by Lawrence Wager...
led Brown to a one year Harkness Fellowship
Harkness Fellowship
The Harkness Fellowships are a programme run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships and enable Fellows from several countries to spend time studying in the United States...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He returned to the UK in 1955 as a lecturer at Oxford University where his research involved the igneous intrusions of Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He returned to Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
as Professor of Geology in 1967, which served to strengthen that department's already enviable reputation. It was during his time at Durham that Brown was invited by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
to undertake work on the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
lunar
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
samples. A story told to Durham geology undergraduates is that Brown accidentally left the box containing the samples on a train from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, only later to discover that NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
had delivered the genuine samples by secure delivery direct to Durham.
His work on the lunar samples secured his worldwide reputation. Like another Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
geologist before him, Kingsley Dunham, Brown was appointed Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the British Geological Survey
British Geological Survey
The British Geological Survey is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. The BGS headquarters are in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, but other centres...
in 1979. During a very difficult time for this Government institution, Brown successfully led a move of its headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to a site at Keyworth
Keyworth
Keyworth is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located about 6 miles southeast of the centre of Nottingham...
, near Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed upon retirement in 1985.
Brown received many awards and honours. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1975. He also received several honorary doctorates from British Universities and was awarded the Murchison Medal
Murchison Medal
An award established by Roderick Murchison, who died in 1871. One of the closing public acts of Murchison’s life was the founding of a chair of geology and mineralogy in the University of Edinburgh. Under his will there was established the Murchison Medal and geological fund to be awarded annually...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
. His early work with Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Rickard Wager, commonly known as Bill Wager, was a British geologist, explorer and mountaineer, described as "one of the finest geological thinkers of his generation" and best remembered for his work on the Skaergaard intrusion in Greenland, and for his attempt on Mount Everest in...
led to publication of Layered Igneous Rocks, which even today remains an influential text.