Maurice Edwin Tucker (born 6 November 1946) is a leading
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
sedimentologist, specialising in the field of
carbonate
A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
sedimentology
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, silt, and clay, and the processes that result in their formation (erosion and weathering), transport, deposition and diagenesis. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of mo ...
, more commonly known as
limestones
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms when th ...
. From 1993 to 2011 he held the position of
Professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
of Geological Sciences at the
University of Durham
Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...
, and from 1998 to 2011 was Master of
University College, Durham
, motto_English = Not for ourselves alone
, scarf =
, established =
, principal = Wendy Powers
, vice_principal = Ellen Crabtree
, undergraduates = 698
, postgraduates = 153
, coordinates =
, location_map = Durham
, map_size ...
.
Education
Tucker graduated with a
First Class Honours
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading structure for undergraduate degrees or bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The system has been applied (sometimes with significant variati ...
degree in
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
from the
University of Durham
Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...
(
University College, Durham
, motto_English = Not for ourselves alone
, scarf =
, established =
, principal = Wendy Powers
, vice_principal = Ellen Crabtree
, undergraduates = 698
, postgraduates = 153
, coordinates =
, location_map = Durham
, map_size ...
) in 1968. This was followed by a
PhD in sedimentology from the
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...
in 1971.
Career
Following lecturerships at the
University of Sierra Leone
The University of Sierra Leone is the name of the former unitary public university system in Sierra Leone. Established in February 1827, it is the oldest university in Africa.
As of May 2005, the University of Sierra Leone was reconstituted int ...
and
Cardiff University
, latin_name =
, image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University
, motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord
, mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord
, established = ...
, he moved to
Newcastle University
Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a UK public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is a red brick univer ...
in 1975. In 1982 he was appointed
lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct re ...
in
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
at
Durham University
, mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1)
, established = (university status)
, type = Public
, academic_staff = 1,830 (2020)
, administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19)
, chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen
, vice_chan ...
and became
Reader in 1988. He was made a
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
in 1993.
Tucker's research interests focus on the properties of
sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles t ...
rocks, particularly
limestones
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms when th ...
, their formation and usefulness as an
oil reservoir
A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface accumulation of hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations.
Such reservoirs form when kerogen (ancient plant matter) is created in surrounding rock by the presenc ...
. He has written or edited more than eight books, including the standard
undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-l ...
text ''Sedimentary Petrology'', and ''Carbonate Sedimentology''.
He has served as President of the International Association of Sedimentologists and was awarded the prestigious Coke Medal of the
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London, known commonly as the Geological Society, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe with more than 12,000 Fellows.
Fe ...
in 1994. He has also acted as the external examiner for the
Earth Sciences
Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four spheres ...
degree at the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
.
In addition, he has served as Staff Treasurer for the
Assassins' Guild of the
University of Durham
Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...
since the end of the 1990s.
University College, Durham
Maurice Tucker was Master of
University College, Durham
, motto_English = Not for ourselves alone
, scarf =
, established =
, principal = Wendy Powers
, vice_principal = Ellen Crabtree
, undergraduates = 698
, postgraduates = 153
, coordinates =
, location_map = Durham
, map_size ...
from 1998 to 2011, and in the last formal dinner of the Easter Term 2010 his portrait by Andrew Ratcliffe was unveiled, to be hung in the Great Hall. The portrait features a
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
that he found at the age of 7 in the family back garden at Newbury Park, which began his fascination with
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
. As an undergraduate student he himself was a member of the college between 1965 and 1968. He was awarded
college colours for representing Castle at
table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...
. He is well acquainted with the traditions of the students within the college, and is highly respected by Castlemen, with many of his youthful escapades spoken of as myth within college. In the Epiphany term of 2009 he took part in the
Lumley Run, never having completed it as a student, completing it in 1 hour 22 minutes. While Master, he inhabited the entirety of the large house at the base of the Keep, along with his wife – regularly entertaining students in his garden in the summer months. He was known as being a staunch supporter of the JCR and MCR, and maintained a strong involvement with them. On the occasion of his retirement in the summer of 2011, the MCR renamed their common room (previously the
William St Calais room) the Maurice E Tucker room in his honour.
References
External links
Durham University: Department of Earth SciencesGeological Society of LondonMaurice Tucker's home page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tucker, Maurice
1946 births
Living people
21st-century British geologists
Alumni of University College, Durham
Academics of Durham University
Academics of Newcastle University
Academics of Cardiff University
Place of birth missing (living people)
Masters of University College, Durham
20th-century British geologists