University of Melbourne geologist awarded Royal Society fellowship

Emeritus Professor Roger Powell, of the School of Earth Sciences, pioneered models to make fundamental advances in our understanding of metamorphic and igneous processes across a wide range of geological environments from the crust to deep mantle.
His papers are among the most highly cited works in the geosciences.
The Fellowship of the Royal Society is made up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from or living and working in the UK and the Commonwealth. Past Fellows and Foreign Members have included Newton, Darwin, Einstein and Hawking.
Professor Powell said he was ‘wrapped’ to receive the honour.
"This is a great result for me, for my discipline of metamorphic geology, for the School of Earth Sciences, and indeed for the University of Melbourne,” he said.
“I would like to thank the School for their support, and all my research collaborators from Australia, and from over a dozen countries around the world, without whom I would not have been able to achieve what I have.”
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, has welcomed its new Fellows and Foreign Members for 2015. He said this group join the world’s finest scientists who work to make our lives easier and to solve humanity's biggest quandaries.
“From treating infectious diseases, to building safe bridges and tunnels, searching out life on other planets and even vacuuming our living rooms, science helps us understand ourselves better and it makes life better,” Sir Paul said.
“Without scientific knowledge, we might not be able to solve some of the greatest challenges of our time: food shortages, climate change and tackling diseases.
“The scientists elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society this year are leaders in their fields and have contributed much to the scientific endeavour. We are delighted to welcome them alongside the likes of great British scientist such as Newton, Boyle and Darwin.”
Prof Powell joins 47 outstanding scientists, including pioneers in climate modelling, the treatment of infectious diseases and plant genetics who received Fellowships this year.