NOMINATION FORM
FOR ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE IUGS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2016-2020
TO BE EXAMINED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE
___________________________
Due at IUGS Nominating Committee by 31 January, 2016
IUGS Nominating Committee
Chair: Prof. Jacques Charvet
373 rue des Clatz
45160 OLIVET, FRANCE
Tel: +33-238692684
Mobile: +33-680455952
Email: jacquespcharvet@orange.fr
___________________________
Nomination submitted by:
National Adhering Organization,
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON
Represented by:
First Name: MICHAEL Last Name: YOUNG
Position: Secretary, Foreign and External Affairs
We hereby nominate: EDMUND NICKLESS
For membership on the IUGS Executive Committee 2016-2020 as:
President
Secretary General
Treasurer
Vice-President
X Councillor
X Preferably for the term 2016-2020
Preferably for the term 2018-2022
Date: 30 July 2016
Signature of the person submitting nomination
Candidate’s agreement:
I, EDMUND NICKLESS hereby agree to serve if elected
Date: 30 July 2016
Signature of candidate
DETAILS OF CANDIDATE NOMINATED
Title:
Mr
First Name:
Edmund
Last Name:
Nickless
Current position:
Retired; Chair, IUGS New Activities Strategic Implementation Committee
with responsibility for developing the Resourcing Future Generations initiative
Date of birth:
25 January 1947
Gender:
Male
Address:
Geological Society of London, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG
Country:
UK
Email Address:
edmund@geolsoc.org.uk
Phone:
+44 (0)20 7434 9944
Fax:
+44 (0)20 7439 8975
Nationality:
British
Languages:
English, French
PROFILE OF CANDIDATE
Summary of academic background (maximum of 15 lines)
Edmund Nickless graduated from Queen Mary College, University of London in 1968 with a BSc Honours
(Upper Second Class) in Geology. He became a Chartered Geologist in 1990, European Geologist in 2002
and Chartered Scientist in 2004.
Positions held (maximum of 15 lines)
2013 to present: Chair, IUGS New Activities Strategic Implementation Committee with responsibility for
developing the Resourcing Future Generations initiative.
1997 to 2015: Executive Secretary of the Geological Society of London (GSL); deputy national
representative to the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and national point of contact to the
IUGS; UK delegate to the Council of the European Federation of Geologists; GSL representative on the
Member Society Council of the American Geosciences Institute; chair to the AGI International Geoscience
Working Group (2004).
1991 to 1997: Assistant Director, British Geological Survey
1989 to 1991: Environmental Adviser, Science and Technology Secretariat, UK Government Cabinet Office
1983 to 1989: Head of Secretariat, Earth Sciences Division, Natural Environment Research Council
1968 to 1983: Various posts within the British Geological Survey in London and Edinburgh
Expertise: (maximum of 15 lines)
Edmund Nickless, as Executive Secretary of the Geological Society, had responsibility for 48 staff working
at two sites and an annual turnover of circa £5 million. He raised the profile of the Geological Society of
London by his participation in international meetings over many years. He has been a Board Member of the
Science Council which brings together UK learned societies and professional bodies across the sciences and
chaired their Diversity Charter Task Group. His previous role with the British Geological Survey involved
the scientific management nad direction of about 150 staff. At the Cabinet Office, his prime responsibility
was providing advice to UK government Ministers. These roles have provided Edmund Nickless with a
wealth of experience in the politics of the geosciences.
Experience with IUGS and/or its affiliated bodies with dates (maximum of 15 lines)
Edmund Nickless has been the permanent representative of the UK’s National Committee at IUGS
committee meetings for many years. He has attended all IGC meetings since 2000 (at Rio). He has taken on
several key international roles in the promotion of the geosciences, notably as a Board Member for the
International Year of Planet Earth and of the Global Geosciences Initiative, and most recently by chairing the
NASIC Resourcing Future Generations initiative. He has worked over a number of years with the IGCP
staff members at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and with the IUGS Executive Committee.
___________________________
Required attachments:
- For any position: Curriculum Vitae of the candidate (no more than 4 pages) recording personal data,
scientific achievements in geological sciences, experience in administration of scientific organizations
- Possibly, for the position of President, Secretary General or Treasurer: Engagement of a national or
international body ready to provide an infrastructural support to the candidate if elected as officer.
CURRICULUM VITAE
EDMUND FRANCIS PAUL NICKLESS
DATE OF BIRTH
25 January 1947
NATIONALITY
BRITISH
QUALIFICATIONS
1968 BSc Honours, Upper Second Class, Geology, Queen
Mary College, University of London
LANGUAGES
French (Basic)
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 1966 Member, Geologists’ Association
1970 Member, Quaternary Research Association
1971 Fellow, Geological Society of London
1976 Member, Edinburgh Geological Society
1977 to 1980 Member of Council, EGS
1986 Corporate Member Inst. of Geologists
1990 Chartered Geologist, Geological Society of London
2002 European Geologist
2004 Chartered Scientist
CURRENT POSITION
Retired as from 1 October 2015.
2013 to present: Chair, IUGS New Activities Strategic Implementation Committee with
responsibility for developing the Resourcing Future Generations initiative.
1997 to 30 September 2015: Executive Secretary (Executive Director) of The Geological Society
of London (GSL) with a membership of 12000 and annual turnover of c£7.5m. Responsible
for a permanent staff of 54; delivery of Council’s approved programme of work within
budget and to time; for oversight of the continuing refurbishment of the Society’s apartments;
development of the Lyell Centre/Collection (an electronic library containing the online
library catalogue and the electronic archive back to 1845 of most of the material ever
published by GSL). Founding member and former Board member and vice-Chair of
GeoScienceWorld, a 2004 start up, not-for-profit, online electronic aggregate of then 35 journals
from 22 learned society publishers with a turnover of $2m in fiscal 2006; former member of
GSW Advisory Council. Member of British Geological Survey Board (2009 to 2011). Trustee
(Board member) of Science Council (2007 to 2011 and 2012 to 2016); former Chair and
currently member of Nominations Committee; former member of HR and Remuneration
group; currently member of Membership working group and Diversity, Equality and
Inclusion strategy group. Member of YES Network Senior Advisory Team. Board member
and Senior Adviser to International Year of Planet Earth, 2006 to 2010. Currently Senior
Adviser to Earth Science Matters (Foundation). Until September 2015, I served as the
permanent UK representative to IUGS and have represented GSL on the Member Council of
the American Geosciences Institute and various working groups, and the Associated Societies
committee of the Geological Society of America.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
1991 to 1997 British Geological Survey, Assistant Director and Head of Corporate Coordination and
Information
Scientific management and direction of about 150 staff with a then annual FEC cost of about
£4m. Principal responsibilities included the storage and dissemination of BGS data, whether
analogue or digital; the identification and implementation of a corporate Information strategy
within an agreed data architecture; development of new geoscientific map and database
products; introduction of digital methods to the production of maps and books; the
introduction of a new series of popular publications; the marketing and sales of BGS
published products including the development of a retail network.
1989 to 1991 Cabinet Office
Seconded to the then Science and Technology secretariat of the Cabinet Office. Prime
responsibility was to provide advice on environment matters to Ministers through the Chief
Scientific Adviser and to act as the main source of expertise within the Secretariat on
environmental matters including the preparation of position papers and briefing.
Much of the work focussed on the White Paper on the Environment (published September
1990) and in determining, for the first time, the extent of public sector spend on
environmental research. This involved extensive consultation with government departments,
research councils and public sector agencies, as well as non-governmental organisations
including advocacy groups.
Other responsibilities included leading on research issues arising from the Human
Embryology and Fertilisation Bill; aspects of biotechnology, specifically issues relating to the
intentional release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and the possible
introduction by the EC of a fourth hurdle in product approval; ethical considerations in the
biomedical and environmental fields; HIV Aids; monitoring Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy; space policy and in particular issues surrounding charging for satellitesensed data; development of policy on environmental monitoring; and encouragement of the
take up of cleaner technology.
Also primary point of contact within the S&T Secretariat with departments and research
councils on environmental matters, and with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
and the Department of Health on all science and technology issues except for equipment and
pharmaceuticals; and as assessor on the Advisory Council on Science and Technology and
the Coordinating Committee on Marine Science and Technology Environment Committee
and working parties.
1985 to 1989 NERC HQ
Member of the Earth Sciences Directorate. Until July 1986 was Secretary to the Geological
Sciences research Grants and Training Awards Committees. Responsibilities included
Secretary to the Earth Sciences Committee, scientific administration of the Deep Geology and
Ocean Drilling Programmes, in addition to the Earth Sciences Directorate Special Topic
Programmes (Geodesy, Fluid Processes, ODP and BGS/Academic Geological Mapping).
The work included identification of scientific priorities, management of research programmes
with a budget in the order of £1.5 million, extensive consultation and liaison with NERC
institutes and government departments, and for representing Council and its policies in the
university scientific community. Also pro active encouragement of university research
proposals including BRIDGE (mid ocean ridge initiative), ODP shipboard land-based
research (for example Atlantic drilling and the multidisciplinary, multi- institutional leg 112
consortium) and new initiatives in deep drilling, mineral physics of ice sheet modelling and
palaeoclimatology.
1983 to 1985 NERC HQ
Transferred to NERC HQ as a member of the Earth Sciences Section of the Science Division
with the specific responsibilities as Secretary to the Geological Sciences Research Grants and
Training Awards Committees. Also Secretary to the Deep Geology and British Reflections
Profiling Syndicate Advisory Committee, and to the UK Ocean Drilling Programme
Coordinating Committee.
1968 to 1983 British Geological Survey
Various research scientist posts within the British Geological Survey in London and
Edinburgh primarily concerned with resource assessment of bulk minerals, environmental
geology and land-use planning.
PUBLICATIONS
2015 Nickless, E., Ali, S., Arndt, N., Brown, G., Demetriades, A., Durrheim, R., Enriquez M.A.,
Giurco, D., Kinnaird, J., Littleboy, A., Masotti, F., Meinert, L., Nyanganyura, D., Oberhänsli,
R., Salem, J., Schneider, G., Yakovleva., N. Resourcing Future Generations: A Global Effort to
Meet The World's Future Needs Head-on. International Union of Geological Sciences, 78pp.
2014 Nickless, E., Bloodworth, A., Meinert, L., Giurco, D., Mohr, S., Littleboy, A. Resourcing
Future Generations White Paper: Mineral Resources and Future Supply. International Union
of Geological Sciences, 38pp.
1994 Nickless, E.F.P. and Jackson, I.
Digital geological map production in the United Kingdom – more than a cartographic
exercise.
Episodes, Vol 17, No 3, 51-55
1994 Nickless E.F.P.
Digital geological map production – the UK experience.
Paper to the IUGS General Assembly, Paris, February 1994.
1993 Nickless, E.F.P. and Jackson, I.
Digital map production in the UK – more than a cartographic exercise.
Proceedings Cartographic Conference, Cologne, May 1993.
1992 Nickless, E.F.P.
The geological map and its development over time.
Contribution to Royal Society seminar
1989 Nickless, E.F.P.
Contribution to the economic geology section of the Norwich Sheet 161 Memoir.
1886 Nickless, E.F.P.
Geology and land-use: some recent developments in maps of the Institute of Geological
Sciences in Land and its changing uses – actual and potential (an environmental appraisal.
Plenum Publications (New York). 51-74.
1985 Nickless, E.F.P., Sabine, P.A. and Monro, S.K.
Cartes geologiques d’enivironement en Grande-Bretagne.
Hydrogeologie, 2W, 169-178.
1983 Nickless, E.F.P.
Environmental Geology Mapping.
Mineral Planning.
1982 Nickless, E.F.P.
Environmental Geology of the Glenrothes district, Fife Region.
Description of 1:25 000 sheet No 20.
Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. No 82/15, 53pp.
1981 Nickless, E.F.P. and Shaw, A.J.
The sand and gravel resources of the valley of the Douglass water, Strathclyde Region.
Miner. Assess. Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. No.63, 95pp.
1980 Nickless, E.F.P. and Laxton, J.L.
The sand and gravel resources of the country around Lanmark, Strathclyde Region.
Miner. Assess. Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. No.49, 144pp.
and 12 others prior to 1980