The Quaternary Research Associations 50th Anniversary Conference by Prof Melanie Leng

The audience at the QRA’s Quaternary Revolutions
meeting (@Tim Lane)

The new year traditionally brings with it not only resolutions, gym memberships and fad diets but for our scientists a round of exciting geological conferences! This year the Annual Discussion Meeting of the Quaternary Research Association (QRA) was held at the Royal Geographical Society in London and was themed around Quaternary Revolutions. Here Melanie Leng tells us about the meeting attended by scientists from far and wide…

The Quaternary Revolutions meeting was organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the QRA. The QRA was formed in 1964 and over the years has developed into a research group which investigates and debates the Earth system and its relationship with past and future human development and society.

BGS’s Andrew Finlayson was awarded the Lewis
Penny Medal for his research on Scottish
glaciations at the QRA meeting (@Tim Lane)

There was an excellent series of speakers who discussed ten themes covering the full range of Quaternary science. The talks reviewed the major scientific revolutions in their particular themes over the last 50 years and then the audience was invited to debate the forward look and future developments. It was a fitting way to celebrate the QRA’s 50th anniversary as well as a stimulating science conference.

 Of particular note were talks by Chronis Tzedakis (UCL) on causes of climate change, Chris Bronk-Ramsay (Oxford) on measuring time, Maureen Raymo (Columbia) on ocean records, Mary Edwards (Southampton) on advances in palaeoecology and Chris Stringer (NHM) on human origins, environments and impacts. The full range of talks are listed in the programme.

BGS BUFI student Jack Lacey from University of Leicester
presenting his PhD research on climate change in the
Balkans at the QRA meeting

Many thanks to the organising committee headed by the outgoing president (Dan Charman, Exeter). The meeting was extensively tweeted (thanks mainly to our early career scientists), for updates check out #QRA50 or follow @QRA50.

Mel