Emrys Phillips

Background

About Emrys Phillips

I currently hold an Individual Merit Promotion (Band 3) Research Scientist post at the British Geological Survey (BGS) office in Edinburgh with an expertise in the macro- and microstructural analysis of deformed glacial sediments, and the control of subglacial deformation on ice sheet dynamics and glacier motion. I have over 27 years experience since graduating, 22 of which have been as a petrologist/geologist with the BGS. I joined BGS as a member of the Mineralogy & Petrology Group in August 1990. My primary role has been to provide detailed specialist scientific input into the Survey’s multidisciplinary science programme; often developing and/or driving the direction of scientific investigation. Consequently, I have gained extensive experience in the petrological, mineralogical and structural (macro- and microstructures) analysis of deformed and metamorphosed terranes, working on a variety of projects throughout the UK landmass, Iceland, North America (Canada), Africa (Botswana) and the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Oman). In the past 10 years I have specialized in the study of deformed glacial materials. Research topics covered have included: the role of melt water in the transportation of ice-rafted sediments; understanding the complex signatures imparted on glacial sediments in response to polyphase proglacial, ice marginal and subglacial deformation; subglacial processes and glacier bed deformation, and its control on the forward motion of glaciers and ice sheets; bedrock controls on subglacial landform distribution; and the role of glacitectonism in subglacial landform development.