07.06.2005
On 20 June 2005, leading geologist from the University of Brighton, Professor Rory Mortimore, will outline how the unique landscape of Hastings is central to current thinking in earth science. The event will be held at the University Centre Hastings at 6:30pm.
Hastings lies at the core of the Wealden region and this geological setting is significant for modern ideas about topics such as climate change, sea-level fluctuations, and global tectonic processes.
The Wealden rocks formed during the Early Cretaceous period (over 100 million years ago), which was a time of great change in animal life on land when new types of dinosaurs were appearing and the flowering plants that we know today evolved.
Later, the Wealden region was flooded by the chalk seas for some 30 million years, sea-levels rose dramatically as climates changed and the crust beneath ocean basins swelled and pushed out vast quantities of water. Further dramatic geological changes took place at the end of the Cretaceous period which led to the complete disappearance of dinosaurs and the elevation of the Wealden region. This is why Hastings is so hilly!
Professor Mortimore said: "The geology of Hastings is complex and unique. It provides us with an interesting setting for dealing with pressing issues such as coastal erosion and civil engineering construction."Journalists wishing to attend the event should contact Rebecca Haroutunian on 01273 643022 or 07958515509.
- University Centre Hastings (UCH), opened in September 2003, and is
an innovative initiative in partnership with the Hastings & Bexhill
Task Force. It is a 'serviced' university managed by University
of Brighton whose academic partners include Canterbury Christ Church
University College, Hastings College of Arts and Technology, the University
of Greenwich, The Open University and University of Sussex.
UCH aims to increase progression higher education, offering improved opportunities for people in their local area while contributing to the local economy.
- Professor Rory Mortimore,
is Professor of Engineering Geology and Head of the Division of Civil
Engineering and Geology in the School of the Environment, University
of Brighton. He joined the University
of Brighton in 1974 and has started and led four degree courses. He
has spent 30 years investigating the Chalk of North West Europe, and
Cretaceous and post-Cretaceous global events, with applications to
engineering geology and hydrogeology. A key objective has been to integrate
the detailed 'academic' geology
research with the applied fields through continual interaction with
industry.
As a specialist consultant on chalk engineering geology including highways, tunnels and hydrogeology he has prepared more than 140 industrial reports for projects ranging from earthworks and slopes on motorways and trunk roads to tunnels for roads and railways including the Channel Tunnel, Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), Stonehenge, CROSSRAIL and for SNCF/ANTEA in France. Groundwater investigations include regional resource studies, effluent dispersal to the Chalk aquifer and controls on groundwater flooding events for which he has obtained research funding from Europe.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton,
01273 643022
