Newsletter 61
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Society News Editorial diatoms to infer past physical oceanographic processes and also investigated the effects that diatoms can have The outgoing editor on sediment fabric and opal preservation in marine This will be the final issue of the newsletter edited by sediments. If asked over a beer what she dislikes most me. Jenny Pike from Cardiff University takes over from about micropalaeontology Jenny would probably reply issue 62 and I wish her success for the future. In a “systematics and taxonomy” which she regards as an final vain attempt at injecting some news into the essential evil, closely followed by “hours of staring newsletter, this issue introduces a new column entitled down the microscope”!! Jenny is currently a Lecturer what the papers say that is intended to summarise in Marine Geoscience at Cardiff University teaching articles of interest to all facets of micropalaeontology. Introductory Micropalaeontology to second year The first column is definitely foram-centric, but this undergraduates. fairly reflects a group in which much exciting research By building on previous efforts to set up a of global interest is being undertaken. I am sure that specialist siliceous microfossil group in the BMS, Jenny, Jenny will be only too pleased to receive unsolicited together with John Gregory, has introduced the reviews of recently published papers that are of broad Silicofossil Group to the Society at the 1998 AGM. An interest to our membership. inaugural meeting was held in September 1999 and it Finally, I have a couple of books available for is hoped that this group will continue to be as success- review in the newsletter, if any of you fancy filling up ful as the other specialist groups. Jenny has published your book shelf, please contact Jenny Pike. papers on diatoms and agglutinated foraminifera. As shipboard sedimentologist, she has described many Faure, H., Heine, K. & Singhvi, A. (eds) 1998. Desert smearslides dominated by nannofossils (both coccoliths margin changes in Africa since 135 Ka: Implications and discoasters) so the only one of the BMS specialist for water, carbon and Mankind. Palaeoecology of groups entirely missing from her portfolio is Palynology Africa and the surrounding islands v. 25, 301 pp. as editor of the Newsletter Jenny awaits her A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. education!! Norris, A. W. & Uyeno, T. T. 1998: Middle Devonian brachiopods, conodonts, stratigraphy, and trans- Jenny Pike <[email protected]> gressive-regressive cycles, Pine Point Area, south of Great Slave Lake, District of Mackenzie, Northwest Territories. Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin Chairman’s introduction and report 522, 191pp. s a Society founder member of 1970, Treasurer Philip Donoghue <[email protected]> between 1982 and 1991, and erstwhile and long- Astanding member of the Editorial boards of both Introducing the new editor of Newsletter of the Journal of Micropalaeontology and A Stereo-Atlas of Micropalaeontology Ostracod Shells, I can justly claim to be a true “old Jenny Pike obtained a First Class BSc (Hons) in Geology stager” of the BMS. from the University of Birmingham in 1991. She first I started my research at Aberystwyth in 1968 on dabbled in conodonts and ostracods at the University ostracods under Robin Whatley, and joined The Natural of Leicester under the watchful eyes of Dick Aldridge History Museum in 1971 to work on foraminifera with and David Siveter, and whilst resident at Leicester, the late Geoff Adams. I am still in the same place. demonstrated various courses to an undergraduate Since then I have continued actively to research both named Phil Donoghue! Jenny began a PhD in the groups, which I suppose is rare these days. Presently, Oceanography Department at the University of South- my scientific interests are primarily in systematics and ampton in 1992 where, in 1996, she was awarded her palaeoecology, and are extremely varied. They include PhD in high-resolution palaeoceanography and and range from the wall structure of agglutinating palaeoclimatology from diatomaceous laminated foraminifera to larger foraminifera in general; earliest sediments, Gulf of California, supervised by Alan Kemp. planktonic foraminiferal evolution to the Neogene Her training in the identification and palaeoecology of rotaliid foraminifera of the Indo-Pacific region; and marine diatoms was provided by Carina Lange at Scripps more recently, Quaternary and Holocene foraminifera Institution of Oceanography, University of California at and ostracods with particular reference to the interpre- San Diego, and she has also picked up many pearls of tation of archaeological sites. My strong interest in the wisdom from Connie Sancetta, now at the National Fleet lagoon, Dorset, where I started my research over Science Foundation in Washington DC. Jenny has used 30 years ago, still continues through research students and the Fleet Study Group. 1 Society News Throughout my career I have never failed to be ral Lyell Lecture as well as a half-day symposium on amazed by the wealth of The Natural History Museum’s Plankton Evolution and Climate Change, as part of the collections and its marvellous Heron-Allen Library with Geoscience 2000 Meeting to be held in Manchester on which I am in every-day contact; where something new April 18th.. is just waiting to be discovered! Also, through the These days are certainly challenging times for Museum’s doors I have, over the years, been pleased to micropalaeontologists. Following the sad closure of make the acquaintance of many “famous” names in the both the Aberystwyth and Southampton M.Sc. courses field of micropalaeontology, which in turn has led to and last year’s downturn in the oil market, the position some notable collaborations and friendships (the late had become rather gloomy. Nevertheless, good young Paul Brönnimann being a case in point). Latterly, my micropalaeontologists seem to be emerging again from work with archaeologists has opened up a whole new British and European universities (at least), and there world for me, and new friendships. seems to be no shortages of jobs in the consultancy My hobbies are legion and so is the size of my profession. family! When not organizing the football and cricket Finally, may I again remind you of two impor- teams for which my boys play, I still find time for my tant ways of supporting the Society: the BMS Founda- extensive rose garden, stamp collections and railway tion, a sponsorship scheme to assist the publication of library. I was hooked on steam trains as a small boy the Journal of Micropalaeontology, and through it to and have never grown up. support the science of micropalaeontology; and the I am extremely honoured to be elected to the Deed of Covenent scheme for UK tax payers, where the Chair of the BMS for the years 1998-2001. It is also a Society can claim back the tax on your annual subscrip- privilege to have succeeded Professor Dick Aldridge, tion, at no pain to yourself. Ask the Treasurer for who did so much for the Society and will indeed be a details. hard act to follow. Overall, the BMS seems to be pretty As your Chairman, I am keen to hear from healthy and (reasonably) wealthy and certainly in terms members particularly if they have a strong opinion on of its Secretary and Treasurer, is very professionally run. what we should be doing (or not doing). I am always You win some, you loose some, however. The Journal of pleased to meet members at the Museum, particularly Micropalaeontology now has international standing (and from overseas if they are passing through London, to for those who bother about those things) is in the discuss matters of mutual interest. Otherwise, I look Science Citation Index, but the recent demise of A forward to seeing you at our Annual General Meeting on Stereo-Atlas of Ostracod Shells is particularly sad for me, November 17th at UCL. if not inevitable. A word of praise here for David Siveter John E. Whittaker <[email protected]> who did more than anyone else for the Atlas, which for 25 years remained a unique publication as well as a world leader in palaeontography. The Occasional Publications Series is still active but since their Secretary’s report takeover of Chapman & Hall, will be published by Directory of members Kluwer, at least for a trial period. I have made it my The revision of the database of members’ addresses has special interest that the long awaited books, been completed. A new Directory of Members, correct as Micropalaeontology of the Former Soviet Union and the of 17th November 1999, will be issued in early 2000. Second Edition of The Stratigraphical Index of Ostracoda AGM 1999 will be published without further delay. I am glad to The 1999 AGM was held at 2.00pm on Wednesday 17th say new titles are also in the pipeline. The Society now November in the Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, Univer- has a new group, the Silicofossil Group. Their first sity College London. Honorary Membership was awarded meeting is planned for September 1999; we wish them to Professors Brian M. Funnell, John W. Neale and Bernard well. All the other groups remain active and each plan Owens in recognition of their services to the Society; one or two meetings in the forthcoming year. Please each received an engraved salver. Members of the Society give them your support. approved unanimously the change of the name of the The BMS is moving with the times. It has a new Conodont Group to the Microvertebrate Group. Dr Ian webmaster and an excellent www-page (http:// Boomer was elected unopposed to the position of www.bmsoc.org). We are also sponsors of that admira- Webmaster, and Dr Jenny Pike was elected unopposed to ble pioneer electronic journal Palaeontologica the position of Newsletter Editor.