Whitaker & Younger Medal

Introduction

Following review of the “Access to Careers in Hydrogeology” report produced in 2024, the Hydrogeological Group Committee of the Geological Society of London have undertaken a review of the wording of the criteria for award of the Whittaker and Younger medal. The result of this review is to slightly amend the wording of the criteria to recognise the contribution of Hydrogeologists across a wide range of sectors and to encourage the number of nominations in each category.

Nominations for either medal can be made throughout the course of the year with the closing date for nominations mid-September (exact date confirmed each year nearer to the time – please look out for LinkedIn posts and Jisc Mail items). The successful nominees will be notified and medal award will be at the annual IAH Ineson meeting in November at Burlington House. There is no limit to the number of times a hydrogeologist can be awarded the Younger medal. If a nomination is unsuccessful one year, applicants are encouraged to consider nominating the following year. Likewise, unsuccessful award of the Whittaker Medal one year does not preclude nominating the same candidate the following year.

For any further clarification or guidance please email: info@hydrogroup.org.uk

Whitaker Medal

The Whitaker Medal is awarded in memory of the distinguished geologist William Whitaker, and was first awarded by the Institution of Water Engineers in 1930 to R.C.S. Walters for his paper on the hydrogeology of the Chalk in England.

Since that time, the Institution and its successors awarded the Medal over 30 times across a period of seven decades. Since 1996, the Hydrogeological Group of the Geological Society has awarded the medal most years in recognition of an outstanding contribution to hydrogeology.

Nominations should be made on the Whitaker Medal nomination form. This is a competitive process and to avoid potential disappointment the nominee should not be informed that they are being nominated.

Criteria for Medal Award:

The Whitaker Medal will be awarded in recognition for long-term contribution to the Hydrogeological Community. Successful nominees are likely to be well known names within their sphere of hydrogeology who have provided support to the community in different ways over many years, but don’t necessarily have to be approaching retirement!

Examples of what is considered significant long term contribution:

• Working in one particular arena of hydrogeology for most of a career and being recognised as an “expert” in that arena

• Long term contribution in the field of academia undertaking research, contributing to developing novel technologies or analytical techniques, guiding generations of students into the field of hydrogeology

Working within the regulatory environment either on numerous nationally significant projects, providing hydrogeological technical support to a specific area of regulation such as permitting or supporting / developing the continued understanding of hydrogeology in a specific geographical region.

To submit a nomination for a Whitaker Medal, please use the form linked on the left.

Younger Medal

First awarded in 2022, the Younger medal is dedicated to our late colleague Professor Paul Younger. Paul, who died in 2018, was a great influence to many people in our professional community. The Hydrogeological Group felt that a new medal, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the hydrogeological community, would be a fitting way to remember him.

Criteria for Medal Award:

The Younger Medal will be awarded in recognition of a specific activity, or series of related activities over a short duration, that has / have made a meaningful hydrogeological contribution to the wider community. Examples of such meaningful contributions may include:

• Authorship of a landmark paper or a book (either educational or a research volume)

• Key role in bringing hydrogeology to the wider community (e.g. work in overseas development of education)

• Development of a significant new piece of equipment or new technique

• Turnkey hydrogeological involvement within a project to solve a major problem, overcome a regulatory hurdle or provide protection to a vulnerable receptor.

It is expected that successful recipients could be at any stage within their career and the award is likely to recognise a specific piece of work undertaken in the relatively recent past.

To submit a nomination for a Younger Medal, please use the form linked on the left.

General Notes for Nomination

• Those nominated do not have to be Fellows of the Society and nor does the work for which the nominee is recognised need to be UK focussed.

• The Awards Committee relies on the proposers to check the accuracy of the supporting information.

• By signing the nomination form, the proposers are confirming that, to the best of their knowledge, the details given in support of a nomination for an award are accurate.

• Nominations for either the Whitaker or Younger medal would not necessarily preclude nomination for the other.

• The proposer and seconder must not be from the same institution as the nominee. However, the nominee and one of the proposers may be from the same institution. For the Whitaker Medal, the nominee must not have received it previously.

• All sections of the nomination form must be completed including the brief statement of no more than 500 words on why the nominee merits the award. The form must not exceed one page. Attachments will not be considered. The form must be signed and dated. Electronic signatures are acceptable. For readability the nomination form must be typed in font Arial 10 point and must be submitted as a Word file.

• Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified by HGC of their nomination so to avoid potential disappointment and, similarly, the nominees should not be informed that they are being nominated by the nominators.

Awards of the Whitaker Medal and Paul Younger Medal made by the Hydrogeological Group of the Geological Society

Whitaker Medal

2024: Rob Sage

2023: John Heathcote

2022: Melinda Lewis

2021: Tim Atkinson

2019: Rick Brassington

2018: Paul Younger

2017: Jane Dottridge

2016: John H Tellam

2012: Tony Marsland

2011: Kevin M Hiscock

2010: John Aldrick

2009: John Barker

2008: John Chilton

2007: Bob Harris

2005: Geoff Williams

2004: Glyn P Jones

2002: Andrew C Skinner

2000: John D Mather

1999: W Mike Edmunds

1997: Lewis Clark

1996: Mike Price

Paul Younger Medal

2024: Brighid Ó Dochartaigh

2023: Alistair Black

2022: Sean Arnott

Awards of the Whitaker Medal made by IWE and IWES

1985: P G Eccles Sulby reservoir, Isle of Man: design and construction

1983: K R Rushton, E J Smith and L M Tomlinson: An improved understanding of flow in a limestone aquifer using field evidence and mathematical models

1982: R J E Hawnt, J B Joseph and R J Flavin: Experience with borehole recharge in the Lee Valley

1981: J W Lloyd: The importance of drift deposit influences on the hydrogeology of major British aquifers

1980: K J Edworthy and R A Downing: Artificial groundwater recharge and its relevance in Britain

1976: P E R Lovelock, M Price and T K Tate: Groundwater conditions in the Penrith Sandstone at Cliburn, Westmorland

1975: S S D Foster and R I Crease: Nitrate pollution of Chalk groundwater in East Yorkshire? A hydrogeological appraisal

1974: E Morton: A review of geology on the design and construction of impounding dams

1971: J Ineson: Development of groundwater resources in England and Wales

1969: M F Kennard and J L Knill: Reservoirs on limestone with particular reference to the Cow Green scheme

1957: E S Hibber: The hydrogeology of the Wirral peninsula

1955: D Halton Thomson: Hydrogeological conditions in the Chalk at Compton, West Sussex (papers presented in1921, 1931, 1938, 1941 and 1954)

1949: A L Lyon: The hydrogeology of the Coventry district

1942: F H Edmunds: Outlines of underground water supply in England and Wales

1930: R C S Walters: The hydrogeology of the Chalk in England