Frances recently joined UCL as an Associate Professor in Earth Sciences. She is a geologist who studies continental deformation, the evolution of orogenic systems, and the role of tectonics in ore formation. Her research has included active normal faulting in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece, the exhumation of middle crustal rocks in the western USA, and the role of extension in the high Himalayan peaks of Bhutan. Over the past decade she has worked closely with the mining company BHP to understand how tectonics, magmatism, volcanism, and surface processes combine to control the formation and enrichment of copper deposits, particularly in the Central Andes.
Frances is a proud UCL alumna who graduated with an MSci in Geology in 2003. She then crossed the pond to do a PhD at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, followed by a postdoc at Arizona State University in Phoenix. She returned to the UK in 2012 to take up a lectureship at the University of Bristol but was recently lured back to UCL to relive her (misspent) youth!
I’m really thrilled to be taking over WiES and would like to thank Lidunka for creating this fantastic and much-needed group. As a woman working in two traditionally male-dominated and non-diverse fields – field geology and mining – I am only too well aware of the challenges that women and gender minorities face on a daily basis. As a mother, I am also acutely aware of the added pressure and guilt that comes with juggling an academic career with parenthood. In my role as WiES chair, I intend to build on Lidunka’s great work to cultivate an inclusive and supportive network of people who will work together to increase the representation of women across the Earth science sector.
2026 ABSW Media Fellows Announced
UCL Engineering is pleased to announce our three Association of British Science Writers Media Fellows for 2026.
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Jyoti Belur's Inaugural Lecture now available to stream online
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UCL spinout part of landmark AI hardware investment as UK momentum builds
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