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Department of Geography, University of Cambridge

 

Dr Colin P. Summerhayes BSc, MSc, DIC, PhD, DSc, CGeol

Dr Colin P. Summerhayes BSc, MSc, DIC, PhD, DSc, CGeol

Emeritus Associate

Marine geologist and oceanographer

Biography

Career

  • April 2010 - : Emeritus Associate, Scott Polar Research Institute
  • January 1 2004 part time, and full time from April 1 2004- April 9 2010: Executive Director, International Council for Science's Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
  • 1997-2004: Director Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Project Office; UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Paris
  • 1995-1997: Southampton Oceanography Centre; Deputy Director, and Head of Seafloor Processes Division.
  • 1988-1995: Director, Natural Environmental Research Council's Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Deacon Laboratory, Wormley, Surrey.
  • 1982-1988: BP Research Centre. (A) 1982-1985: Research Associate; (B) 1985-88: Senior Research Associate and Manager, Stratigraphy Branch.
  • 1976-1982: Research Associate and Project Leader; Petroleum Geochemistry Branch, Exxon Production Research Co, Houston, Texas.
  • 1972-1976: Assistant Scientist: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts.
  • 1970-1972: Research Officer: University of Cape Town Marine Geoscience Unit.
  • 1967-1970: Research Assistant and PhD student; Applied Geochemistry Section; Geology Department; Imperial College, London.
  • 1964-1967: Scientific Officer; NZ Oceanographic Institute, Wellington, NZ.

Qualifications

  • DSc: Geology: Victoria University of Wellington, NZ 1986
  • PhD: Applied Geochemistry: Imperial College, London, 1970
  • DIC: Applied Geochemistry, Imperial College, London, 1970
  • MSc: Marine Geology; with Distinction equivalent to 1st class honours: Victoria University of Wellington, NZ, 1967
  • Postgraduate studies: Isotope Geochemistry (radioactive age determination), Keble College, Oxford, 1963-64
  • BSc Honours: Geology (with chemistry)(2:1), University College, London, 1963
  • Chartered Geologist: (1996 - present)
  • Chartered Marine Scientist: (2003 - 2013)

Research

Dr. Colin Summerhayes is a marine geologist and oceanographer with expertise in the role of climate in forming marine sediments of different types, especially seabed resources of phosphate and oil and gas, and in interpreting the history of climate from sedimentary records. He was educated at University and Imperial Colleges, London, at Oxford, and at Victoria University, Wellington, NZ, then worked at the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute, at Imperial College London, at the University of Cape Town and at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He then spent 12 years as a researcher in the oil and gas business, working first for Exxon and then for BP on new techniques for analysing basins and prospecting for oil rich source rocks, covering most of the world's oil and gas basins from northern Norway to the Falklands Plateau. From 1986-88 he was a Branch Manager in the Exploration Division of the BP Research Centre, Sunbury-on-Thames, responsible for specialist research staff in Aberdeen, Houston, Holland and the UK. Leaving the oil business, from 1988-95 he was Director of the Natural Environment Research Council's Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Deacon Laboratory, in Wormley, Surrey, managing some of the UK's major research programmes on the role of the oceans in climate change. Having steered the institute through a major restructuring, he moved it to become the core of the new Southampton (now National) Oceanography Centre, of which he became Deputy Director. Leaving the UK in 1997 he served UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, in Paris, as Director of the Global Ocean Observing System (or GOOS), which provides the ocean component of the UN's Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), which detects changes and trends in global climate and provides advice to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Dr Summerhayes was a member of the GCOS Steering Committee. From 2004 - 2010 he was Executive Director of the International Council for Science's Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), based at the Scott Polar Research Institute of Cambridge University, where he is now an Emeritus Associate (from April 1, 2010). At SCAR, he coauthored several reviews of Antarctic climate and its role in the global climate system including "Science in the Snow" coauthored in 2018 with David Walton and Peter Clarkson. He is co-editor of "Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment" (2009), and of "Understanding Earth's Polar Challenges: International Polar Year 2007-2008" (2011). In 2012 he published with Conny Luedecke a history of the 3rd German Antarctic Expedition "The Third Reich in Antarctica". And in 2015 he published a textbook on climate change from the geological perspective - "Earth's Climate Evolution". The 2nd edition, "Palaeoclimatology - from Snowball Earth to the Anthropocene" was published in August 2020. His 'icy' publications include "The Icy Planet - Saving Earth's Refrigerator" (2023).

As a member of SCAR's Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE) Advisory Group, he helped until 2019 to provide annual reports on climate change to the meetings of the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty. He also represented SCAR on the organising committee for the 4th International Polar Year 2007 -2008, organising its first conference, jointly with the International Arctic Science Committee, in St Petersburg, Russia, in July 2008, and assisting with the organisation of the two follow up IPY conferences in Oslo in 2010 and in Montreal in 2012. Aside from Visiting research stations in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, in 2004, he has provided advice on management to the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) (2010-2012), lectured on climate change on Antarctic cruise ships (2010, 2012, 2014 (twice) and 2017), and worked in a voluntary capacity for professional societies including becoming Vice President of the Geological Society of London 2010-2013, President of the Society for Underwater Technology (2009-2011), Editor of the Journal of Operational Oceanography for the Institute for Marine Science and Technology (2008-2012), and a member of the editorial board of Geoscientist (2018-present) . He has also served as a Member of the UK Committee for the Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research (SCOR) (2013-2016), Chairman of the International Advisory Board of the International Arctic Science Committee (2015-2016), and Erskine Fellow of the University of Canterbury, NZ, in support of their Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies (2015-2016). He is currently a Member of the Anthropocene Working Group of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (2014 - ), and in 2019 published with AWG colleagues "The Anthropocene as a Geological Time Unit".

Publications

Selected publications

  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2023,The Icy Planet: Saving Earth's Refrigerator. Oxford University Press.
  • Fairchild, I., Cearreta, A., Summerhayes, C.P., Galuszka, A., and Wagreich, M., 2022, The Anthropocene signal amidst the noise. In Anthrobiogeochemical Cycles. Giulia Rispoli and Christoph Rosol (eds.), Anthropogenic Markers: Stratigraphy and Context. In, The Anthropocene Curriculum (on-line resource); developed by the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW, Berlin) and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. https://www.anthropocene-curriculum.org/anthropogenic-markers/anthrobiogeochemical-cycles.
  • Waters, C.N., Williams, M., Zalasiewicz, J., Turner, S., Barnosky, A., Head, M., Wing, S., Wagreich, M., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C., Cundy, A., Zinke, J., Fialkiewicz-Kosei, B, Leinfelder, R., Haff, P., McNeill, J., Rose, N., Hajdas, I., McCarthy, F., Cearreta, A., Galuszka, A., Syvitski, J., Han, Y., An, Z., Fairchild, I., Ivar do Sul, J., Jeandel, C., 2022, Epochs, events and episodes: Marking the geological impact of humans. Earth Science Reviews 234 (104171)
  • Head, M.J., Zalasiewicz, J.A., Waters, C.N., Turner, S.D., Williams, M., Barnosky,A.D., Steffen, W., Wagreich, M., Haff, P.K., Syvitski, J., Leinfelder, R., McCarthy, F.M.G., Rose, N.L., Wing, S.L., An, Z., Cearreta, A., Cundy, A.B., Fairchild, I.J., Han, Y., Ivar do Sul, J.A., Jeandel, C., McNeill, J.R., Summerhayes, C.P., 2022, The proposed Anthropocene Epoch/Series is underpinned by a rich array of mid-20th century stratigraphic event signals. Jl of Quaternary Science 37(7), 1181-1187.
  • Head, M.J., Zalasiewicz, J.A., Waters, C.N., Turner, S.D., Williams, M., Barnosky,A.D., Steffen, W., Wagreich, M., Haff, P.K., Syvitski, J., Leinfelder, R., McCarthy, F.M.G., Rose, N.L., Wing, S.L., An, Z., Cearreta, A., Cundy, A.B., Fairchild, I.J., Han, Y., Ivar do Sul, J.A., Jeandel, C., McNeill, J.R., Summerhayes, C.P., 2022, The Anthropocene is a prospective epoch/series, not a geological event. Episodes, IUGS
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Ellis, E., Head, M.J., Edgeworth, M., Vidas, D., Steffen, W., Thomas, J.A., Horn, E., Summerhayes, C.P., Haff, P., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Galuszka, A., Williams, M., Barnosky, A.D., Richter, D.deB., Gibbard, P., Syvitski, J., Jeandel, C., Cearetta, A., Cundy, A., Fairchild, I., R.M., and Zinke, j., 2021, The Anthropocene: comparing its meaning in geology (chronostratigraphy) with conceptual approaches arising in other disciplines. Earth's Future 9, e2020EF001896. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001896
  • Head, M.J., Steffen, W., Fagerlind, D., Waters, C.N., Poirier, C., Syvitski, J., Zalasiewicz, J., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Rose, N.L., Summerhayes, C.P., Wagreich, M., and Zinke, J., 2021, The Great Acceleration is real and provides a quantitative basis for the proposed Anthropocene Series/Epoch. Episodes, IUGS, https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2021/021031, on-line, November.
  • Vidas, D., Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2021, Climate change and the Anthropocene: implications for the development of the law of the sea. Chapter 2 in Ingvild Jakobsen, E. Johansen and S.V. Busch and I.U. Jakobsen (eds.), The Law of the Sea and Climate Change: Solutions and Constraints. Cambridge University Press, 22-48.
  • Lear, C., Anand, P., Blenkinsop, T., Foster, G., Gagen, M., Hoogakker, B., Larter, R., Lunt, D., McCave, N., McClymont, E., Pancost, R., Rickaby, R., Schultz, D., Summerhayes, C.P., Williams, C., and Zalsiewicz, J., 2020, What the Geological Record Tells Us About Our Present and Future Climate. Climate Change Statement, Journal of the Geological Society of London 178 (1), 2020-239
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Zalasiewicz, J., Vidas, D., and Williams, M., 2020. Polar regions in the Anthropocene. Chapter 2 in K. N. Scott and D.L. VanderZwaag (eds.), Research Handbook on Polar Law. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, 18-39.
  • Syvitski, J., Waters, C., Day, J., Milliman, J.D., Summerhayes, C.P., Steffen, W., Zalasiewicz, J., Cearreta, A., Galuszka, A., Hajdas, I., Head, M.J., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R, Poirier, C., Rose, N.L., Shotyk, W., Wagreich, M., and Williams, M., 2020, Extraordinary human energy consumption and resultant geological impacts beginning around 1950 CE initiated the proposed Anthropocene Epoch. Nature Communications Earth & Environment, 1-32, doi.org/10.1038/s43247-020-00029-y
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2020, Paleoclimatology: from Snowball Earth to the Anthropocene. WILEY/Blackwell, 544 pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2019, Archibald Geikie and the Ice Age Controversy. In Betterton, J., Craig, J., Mendum, J., and Tanner, J., (eds.), Aspects of the Life and Works of Archibald Geikie. Geological Society of London Special Publication 480, 183-190.
  • Turner, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Gutt., J., Bracegirdle, T., Convey, P., Liggett, D., Nath, C., Wang, Z., and Sparrow, M., 2019, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – 2019 Update. Information Paper 136, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 42, Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), 2019, The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP. 361pp
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., Summerhayes, C.P., Head, M.J., and Leinfelder, R., 2019, History and development of the Anthropocene as a stratigraphical concept. Chapter 1, in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 1-40
  • Syvitski, J., Zalasiewicz, J., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2019, Changes to Holocene/Anthropocene patterns of sedimentation from terrestrial to marine. Chapter 2.8 in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 90-108.
  • Fairchild, I., Zalasiewicz, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Waters, C., et al., 2019, Anthropocene chemostratigraphy. Chapter 5 in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 157-159 and 165-168.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2019, Climate. Chapter 6.1 in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 201-217
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2019, Ice. Chapter 6.2 in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 218-231.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., Summerhayes, C.P., et al., 2019, The stratigraphical boundary of the Anthropocene. Chapter 7 in Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P. (eds.), The Anthropocene as a geological time unit. CUP, Cambridge, 243 and 285-287.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Head, M.J., Poirier, C., Summerhayes, C.P., Leinfelder, R., Grinevald, J., Steffen, W., Syvitski, J., Haff, P., McNeill, J.R., Wagreigh, M., and Fairchild, I., 2019, A formal Anthropocene is compatible with but distinct from its diachronous anthropogenic counterparts: a response to W.F. Ruddiman's "three-flaws in defining a formal Anthropocene". Progress in Physical Geography. 43(3), 319-333.
  • Williams, M., Edgeworth, M., Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Steffen, W., Wolfe, A.P., Minter, N.J., Cearreta, A., Galuszka, A., Haff, P., McNeill, J., Revkin, A., Richter, D. deB., Price, S., Summerhayes, C.P., 2019, Underground metro systems: a durable proxy of rapid urban population growth and energy consumption during the Anthropocene. In Benjamin, C., Quaedackers, E., and Baker, D., (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Big History. Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), London, 434-480.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Zalasiewicz, J., Vidas, D., and Williams, M., 2019 (in press). Polar regions in the Anthropocene. In K. N. Scott and D. VanderZwaag (eds.), Chapter 2, Research Handbook on Polar Law – Edward Elgar Research Handbooks series.
  • Vidas, D., Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2019 (in press) Climate change and the Anthroppocene – implications for the development of the law of the sea. Chapter 2 in Ingvild Jakobsen, Elise Johansen and Signe Busch (eds.) The Law of the Sea and Climate Change: Part of the Solutions or Representing Constraints?. Cambridge University Press.
  • Walton, D.H.W., Clarkson, P.D, and Summerhayes, C.P., 2018, Science in the Snow. 2nd Edition. SCAR, Cambridge, 321 pp. (and online at www.scar.org).
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Head, M.J., Steffen, W., Syvitski, J.P., Vidas, D., Summerhayes, C., and Williams, M., 2018, The Geological and Earth System Reality of the Anthropocene. Current Anthropology 59(2), 4pp.
  • Waters, C.N., Zalasiewicz, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Fairchild, I.J., Rose, N.L., Loader, N.J., Shotyk, W., Cearreta, A., Head, M.J., Syvitski, J.P.M., Williams, M., Wagreich, M., Barnosky, A.D., Zhisheng, A., Leinfelder, R., Jeandel, C., Gałuszka, A., Ivar do Sul, J.A., Gradstein, F., Steffen, W., McNeill, J.R., Wing, S., Poirier, C., and Edgeworth, M., 2018 Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Anthropocene Series: Where and how to look for potential candidates. Earth Sci. Revs. 178, 379-429.
  • Steffen, W., Rockström, J., Richardson, K., Folke, C., Liverman, D., Summerhayes, C.P., Barnosky, A.D., Cornell, S., Crucifix, M., Donges, J., Fetzer, I., Lade, S., Lenton, T.M., Scheffer, M., Winkelmann, R., and Schellnhuber, J., 2018), Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene. PNAS Perspective. Early on-line edition August 6th.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Waters, C.N., Barnosky, A.D., Palmesino, J., Rönnskog, A-S., Edgeworth, M., Neal, C., Cearreta, A., Ellis, E.C., Grinevald, J., Haff, P., Ivar do Sul, J.A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Odada, E., Oreskes, N., Price, S.J., Revkin, A., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C.P., Vidas, D., Wing S., and Wolfe A.P., 2017, Scaleand diversity of the physical technosphere: A geological perspective. The Anthropocene Review, 4(1) 9-22. DOI: 10.1177/2053019616677743.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Wolfe, A.P., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E.C., Fairchild, I.J., Gradstein, F.M., Grinevald, J., Haff, P., Head, M.J., Ivar do Sul, J., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Oreskes, N., Poirier, C., Revkin, A., Richter, D deB., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C.P., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wing, S., Williams, M., 2017, Making the case for a formal Anthropocene Epoch: an analysis of ongoing critiques. Newsletters on Stratigraphy 50/2, 205-226.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Summerhayes, C.P., Wolfe, A.P., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Crutzen, P., Ellis, E., Fairchild, I.J., Galuska, A., Haff, P., Hajdas, I., Head, M.J., Ivar do Sul, J.A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Neal, C., Odada, E., Oreskes, N., Steffen, W., Syvitski, J., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., and Williams, M., 2017, The Working Group on the Anthropocene: Summary of evidence and interim recommendations. Anthropocene 19, 55-60.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2017, Geomorphology in the Anthropocene, by Goudie, A.S., and Viles, H.A.: A Review. The Holocene v. 27(8), 1259-1260.
  • Turner, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Bracegirdle, T., Liggett, D., Baesman, J., Mayewski, P., Convey, P., di Prisco, G., Gutt, J., Hodgson, D., Worby, A., Wang, Z., and Klepikov, 2017, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – 2017 Update. Information Paper 80, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 40, Beijing, 22 May-1June 2017, 7pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2017 "Antarctica – The Battle for the Seventh Continent". A review of the Praeger Press 2016 book by D Abdel-Motaal. Polar Record v.53, (4 ), pp. 455-456.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2016, Comment on "The Medieval Quiet Period" - Implications Arising from Models of Solar Irradiance. The Holocene…., p.1-2, DOI: 10.1177/0959683616658532
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Retter, G.-B., Wagner, P., Tweedie, C., Lee, H.-K., Vlasova, T., and Bauer, N., 2016, An International Review and Recommendations. Report of the IASC International Advisory Board to the IASC Council, Fairbanks, Alaska, March 2016, 22pp.
  • Turner, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Sparrow, M.D., Mayewski, P., Convey, P., di Prisco, G., Gutt, J., Hodgson, D., Speich, S., Worby, A., Bo, S., and Klepikov, A., 2016, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – 2015 Update. Information Paper 35, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 39, Santiago, Chile, 23 May - 1 June 2016, 7pp
  • Steffen, W., Leinfelder, R., Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Williams, M., Summerhayes, C.P., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E.C., Fairchild, I.J., Gałuszka, A., Grinevald, J., Alan Haywood, A., Do Sul, J.I., Jeandel, C., McNeill, J.R., Odada, E., Oreskes, N., Revkin, A., Richter, D. deB., Syvitski, J., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wing, S.L., Wolfe, A.P., Schellnhuber, H.J., 2016, Stratigraphic and Earth System Approaches to Defining the Anthropocene. Earth's Future 8, 324-345, doi:10.1002/2016EF000379.
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Do Sul, J.I., Corcoran, P.L., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Gałuszka, A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C.P., Wagreich, M., Williams, M., Wolfe, A.P., and Yonan, Y., 2016, The geological cycle of plastics and their use as a stratigraphic indicator of the Anthropocene. Anthropocene 13, 4-17, doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2016.01.002.
  • Waters, C.N., Zalasiewicz, J., Summerhayes C., Barnosky, A.D., Poirier, C., Gałuszka, A., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E., Ellis, M.A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeil, J., Richter, D., Steffen, W., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Williams, M., Zhishen, A., Grinevald, J., Odada, E.O., and Oreskes, N., Wolfe, A.P., 2016, The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene. Science 351 (6269), DOI:10.1126/science.aad2622 10pp.
  • Waters, C.N., Zalasiewicz, J., Summerhayes C., Barnosky, A.D., Poirier, C., Gałuszka, A., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E., Ellis, M.A., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J., Richter, D., Steffen, W., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Williams, M., Zhishen, A., Grinevald, J., Odada, E.O., and Oreskes, N., Wolfe, A.P., 2016, The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene. Science, (6269) p.137 (Outline article).
  • Williams, M., Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C., Edgeworth, M., Bennett, C., Barnosky, A.D., Ellis, E., Ellis, M., Cearreta A., Haff, P.K., Do Sul, J.I., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J., Odada, E., Oreskes, N., Revkin, A., Richter, D, de B., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C.P., Syvitski, J.P., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wing, S., Wolfe, A., Zhisheng, A., 2016, The Anthropocene: a conspicuous stratigraphical signal of anthropogenic changes in production and consumption across the biosphere. Earth's Future 4, AGU Open Access Journal. doi:10.1002/2015EF000339.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2016, Upwelling. In Harff, J., Meschede, M., Petersen, S., and Thiede, J., Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences. Springer, Dordrecht, 900-912.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2015, Polar science strategies for institute managers. Polar Record. doi:10.1017/S0032247415000716.
  • Waters, C.N., Syvitski, J.P.M., Gałuszka, A., Hancock, G.J., Zalasiewicz, J., Cearreta, A., Grinevald, J., Jeandel, C., McNeill, J.R., Summerhayes, C., and Barnosky, A., 2015, Can nuclear weapons fallout mark the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch? Bull. Atomic Scientists. Vol. 71(3) pp. 46-57
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E.C., Galuska, A., Gibbard, P.L., Grinevald, J., Haydas, I., Do Sul, J.I., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Poirier, C., Revkin, A., Richter, D. deB., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wolfe, A.P., 2015, Colonization of the Americas, Little Ice Age Climate, and Bomb-Produced Carbon: Their Role in Defining the Anthropocene. Anthropocene Review, 2 (2), 117-127.
  • Zalasiewicz J., Waters, C.N., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Edgeworth, M., Ellis, E., Galuska, A., Gibbard, P.L., Grinevald, J., Haydas, I., Do Sul, J.I., Jeandel, C., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J.R., Poirier, C., Revkin, A., Richter, D. deB., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wolfe, A.P., 2015, Epochs: Disputed start dates for Anthropocene. Nature 520, 436
  • Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Williams, M., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Crutzen, P., Ellis, E., Ellis, M.A., Fairchild, I.J., Grinevald, J., Haff, P.K., Hajdas, I., Leinfelder, R., McNeill, J., Odada, E.O., Poirier, C., Richter, D., Steffen, W., Summerhayes, C., Syvitski, J.P.M., Vidas, D., Wagreich, M., Wing, S.L., Wolfe, A.P., Zhishen, A., and Oreskes, N., 2015, When did the Anthropocene begin? A Mid-Twentieth Century Boundary Level is Stratigraphically Optimal. Quaternary International, Vol. 383, 196-203; doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.11.045.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., and Charman, D., 2015, Holocene Climate Change. J. Geol. Soc., London, Vol. 172, 251-253.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2015, Earth's Climate Evolution. J Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 394 pp.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Rogne, O., Rachold, V., and Sparrow, M.D., 2015, Bi-Polar Cooperation. Section 4.5, in Rogne, O., Rachold, V., Hacquebord, L., and Corell, R., (eds.), The International Arctic Sciences Committee (IASC) After 25 Years. IASC, Potsdam, p. 90-93
  • Walton, D.H., Kennicutt, M.C., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2015, Antarctic Scientific Collaboration – The Role of SCAR. Chapter 29 in D. Liggett, B. Storey, and Y. Cook (eds.), Exploring the Last Continent: An introduction to Antarctica. Springer, 572-588.
  • Turner, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Sparrow, M.D., Mayewski, P., Convey, P., di Prisco, G., Gutt, J., Hodgson, D., Speich, S., Worby, A., Bo, S., and Klepikov, A., 2015, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – 2014 Update. Information Paper 92, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 38, Sofia, 1-10 June 2015, 7pp.
  • Turner, J., Summerhayes, C.P., Sparrow, M.D., Mayewski, P., Convey, P., di Prisco, G., Gutt, J., Hodgson, D., Speich, S., Worby, A., Bo, S., and Klepikov, A., 2014, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – An Update. Information Paper 60, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 37, Brasilia, May 2014, 7pp.
  • Summerhayes C.P., Cann, J., Cohen, A., Francis, J., Larter, R., Lowe, J., McCave, N., Wolff, E., Valdes, P., and Bilham, N., 2013, An Addendum to the Statement on Climate Change: Evidence from the Geological Record. Geol. Soc. London 15pp (www.geolsoc.org.uk/climaterecord).
  • Turner, J., Barrand, N.E., Bracegirdle, T.J., Convey, P., Hodgson, D.A., Jarvis, M., Jenkins, M., Marshall, G., Meredith, M.P., Roscoe, H., Shanklin, J., French, J., Goosse, H., Guglielmin, M., Gutt, J., Jacobs, S.,Kennicutt, M.C., Masson-Delmotte, V., Mayewski, P., Navarro, F., Robinson, S., Scambos, T., Sparrow, M., Summerhayes, C.P., Speer, K., Klepikov, A., 2013, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment: an Update. Polar Record. 1-23. Also published as Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment – An Update. Background Paper 21, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 36, Brussels, Belgium, May 2013.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2013, Scientists together in the cold. In Walton, D.H.W. (ed.), Antarctica – Global Science from a Frozen Continent. Cambridge Univ. Press. 253-272
  • Summerhayes, C.P., and Lüdecke, C., 2013, A German Contribution to South Atlantic Seabed Studies, 1938-39. Polarforschung 82 (2), 93-101.
  • Turner, J., Barrand, N.E., Bracegirdle, T.J., Convey, P., Hodgson, D.A., Jarvis, M., Jenkins, M., Marshall, G., Meredith, M.P., Roscoe, H., Shanklin, J., French, J., Goosse, H., Guglielmin, M., Gutt, J., Jacobs, S.,Kennicutt, M.C., Masson-Delmotte, V., Mayewski, P., Navarro, F., Robinson, S., Scambos, T., Sparrow, M., Summerhayes, C.P., Speer, K., Klepikov, A., 2013, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment: an Update. Polar Record. 1-23.
  • Newman, L., Rintoul, S.R., Meredith, M.P., Fahrbach, E., Gunn, G., Sparrow, M.D., Wadley, V., Speer, K., Hofmann, E., Summerhayes, C.P., Urban, E., and Bellerby, R., 2012, The Southern Ocean Observing System. CLIVAR Exchanges No. 58, vol.17, No.1, 49-53
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2012, Poles Apart - Wildlife at Hotspots for Warming. In Watts, O., Moorcroft, M., Phillips, J., and Taylor, J., (eds.), Climate Change: Biodiversity and People on the Front Line. RSPB, Natural England and WWF-UK Conference Report. 16–18.
  • Chown, S.L., Lee, J.E., Hughes, K.A., Barnes, J., Barrett, P.J., Bergstrom, D.M., Convey, P., Cowan, D.A., Crosbie, K., Dyer, G., Frenot, Y., Grant, S.M., Herr, D., Kennicutt, M.C., Lamers, M., Murray, A., Possingham, H.P., Reid, K., Riddle, M., Ryan, P.G., Sanson, L., Shaw, J.D., Sparrow, M.D., Summerhayes, C.P., Terauds, A., Wall, D.H., 2012, Challenges to the Future Conservation of the Antarctic. Science, 337, 158-159 and supplementary materials at www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/337/6091/PAGE/DC1
  • Rintoul, S., Sparrow, M.D., Meredith, M., Wadley, V., Speer, K., Hoffman, E., Summerhayes, C.P., Urban, E., and Bellerby, R., 2012, The Southern Ocean Observing System: Initial Science and Implementation Strategy. SCAR, Cambridge, 74 pp
  • Lüdecke, C., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2012, The Third Reich in Antarctica – the Story of the Third German Antarctic Expedition, 1938/39. Bluntisham Books, 254pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2011, The New SCAR, 2004-2008. In Walton, D.H.W., and Clarkson, P.D., (eds.) Science in the Snow. SCAR, Cambridge, 159-202
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Walton, D.H.W., and Clarkson, P.D., 2011, The Achievements of SCAR. In Walton, D.H.W., and Clarkson, P.D., (eds.) Science in the Snow. SCAR, Cambridge, 203-214
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2011, A History of SCAR, 2004-2010. SCAR Occasional Publication. SCAR, Cambridge, 93 pp.
  • Krupnik, I., Allison, I., Bell, R., Cutler, P., Hik, D., Lopez-Martinez, J., Rachold, V., Sarukhanian, E., and Summerhayes, C.P., (eds.), 2011, Understanding Earth's Polar Challenges: International Polar Year 2007-2008. CCI Press, Edmonton. Occasional Publication Series 69. 750 pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Cann, J.R., Cohen, A., Francis, J., Hatwood, A., Larter, R., Lowe, J., McCave, N., Pearson, P., Wolff, E., Day, S., and Nickless, E., 2010, Climate Change: Evidence from the Geological Record. Geol. Soc. London, Geoscientist 20(11) 10 and 24-27 and www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/site/GSL/lang/en/climatechange.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2010, Climate Change - a Creeping Catastrophe. Bull. World Health Org. 88(6), WHO Geneva, 410-411 (www.who.int/bulletin/en/)
  • Dexter, P., and Summerhayes, C.P., 2010, Ocean Observations - the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). Chapter 11 in Pugh, D., and Holland, G., (eds.), Troubled Waters: Ocean Science and Governance. CUP, Cambridge 161-178
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2010, Science and Engineering Challenges in the Oceans and their Relation to Marine Policy Developments. In, Innovative Marine Engineering and Science - are we Sinking of Swimming? Science in Parliament Jl. 67(2), Whit issue, 21-22
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2010, Under ice technologies for detecting climate change. A Personal View. Underwater Technol., SUT Journal, London, 1-2.
  • Convey, P., et al (inc. Summerhayes, C.P.), 2009, Antarctic climate change and the environment. Ant Sci. Jl.,21, 541-563
  • Turner, J., Convey, P., Di Prisco, G., Mayewski, P., Hodgson, D., Fahrbach, E., Binschadler, R., Gutt, J., and Summerhayes, C.P., (eds.) 2009, Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Cambridge, 560pp
  • Mayewski, P. A., M. P. Meredith, C. P. Summerhayes, J. Turner, A. Worby, P. J. Barrett, G. Casassa, N. A. N. Bertler, T. Bracegirdle, A. C. Naveira Garabato, D. Bromwich, H. Campbell, G. H. Hamilton, W. B. Lyons, K. A. Maasch, S. Aoki, C. Xiao, and Tas van Ommen, 2009, State of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean climate system, Rev. Geophys., 47, doi:10.1029/2007RG000231. 38pp
  • Rintoul, S., et al., including Summerhayes, C.P., 2009, Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS): Rationale and strategy for sustained observations of the Southern Ocean. Community White Paper. OceanPObs09 conference, Venice, September 2009. 30pp
  • Allison, I., et al, including Summerhayes C.P., 2009, The State of Polar Research – a Statement from the ICSU/WMO Joint Committee for the International Polar Year. WMO, Geneva, 12pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2008, International Collaboration in Antarctica: the International Polar Years, the International Geophysical Year, and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Polar Record 44 (231), 321-335.
  • Allison, I. et al., including Summerhayes C.P., 2007, The Scope of Science for the International Polar Year 2007-2008. IPY Office, Cambridge, 25pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2007, Global Ocean Monitoring Programs in the Southern Ocean. In Riffenburgh, B., ed., Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, v.1, Routledge, London.467-8
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2007, Southern Ocean. In Riffenburgh, B., ed., Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, v.2, Routledge, London.934-938
  • Cryosphere Theme Team, including C.P. Summerhayes, 2007, IGOS Cryosphere Theme. Report of the Cryosphere Theme Team, for the IGOS Partnership, August 200y. IGOS Partners. WMO Technical Report TD 1405, 100pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Dickson, B., Meredith, M., Dexter, P., and Alverson, K., 2007, Observing the Polar Oceans During the International Polar Year and Beyond. WMO Bull., 56 (4), 270-283.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., and Beeching, P., 2007, Hitler's Antarctic Base: The Myth and the Reality. Polar Record, 43 (224), 1-21.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2005, Renewal and Revitalization of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Un., v.86 (9), 90
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2005, Antarctic Science. EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Un. v.86 (32), 293 and 298
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Hoffman, E., and Meredith, M., 2005, SO GLOBEC and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). GLOBEC International Newsletter v.11, (2), 23-24
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2005, (Guest Editor) SCAR Open Science Conference, July 2004, Bremen. Special Issue 27. Antarctic Science v 17 (4), Camb. Univ. Press, 481-570.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2004, The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in the Antarctic Context. In M. Colacino (ed.), Proc SCAR Workshop on Oceanography, Rome, Italy, 22-24 October 2003. Conference Proceedings v.89., Italian Physical Society, Bologna.281-290
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2004, Antarctica and Climate Change. Geoscientist 15(2), 6-7
  • GCOS (C Summerhayes co-author), 2004, Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC. GCOS Report 92. WMO/TD No 1219. WMO, Geneva, 136pp
  • GCOS (C Summerhayes co-author), 2003, Second Report on the Adequacy of the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC. GCOS Report 82. WMO/TD No 1143. WMO, Geneva, 73pp
  • Altalo, M.G., Summerhayes, C.P., Flemming, N.C., and Bernal, P., 2003, Demand side "Pull" for EuroGOOS Products: Identifying Market and Policy Decisions Impacted by New Environmental Information, in Proc. 3rd EuroGOOS Conference, Athens, December 2002. Elsevier Oceanography Series 69, 409-421
  • Field, J., Hempel, G., and Summerhayes, C.P., (eds.),2002, Oceans 2020, Science,Trends and the Challenge of Sustainability. Island Press, Washington. p 137-162
  • Summerhayes, C.P., 2002, The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in 1998. In N.C.Flemming et al., (eds.), Operational Oceanography: Implementation at the European and Regional Scales. Proc 2nd EuroGOOS Conf., Rome, March 1999. Elsevier Oceanography Series 66, 57-66
  • Deacon, M., Rice, T., and Summerhayes, C.P., (eds), 2001, Understanding the Oceans: a Century of Ocean Exploraiton. UCL Press, London and New York, 300 pp
  • Thomson, J., et al (C Summerhayes co-author), 2000, Enhanced Productivity on the Iberian Margin during Glacial/Interglacial Transitions Revealed by Barium and Diatoms. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 157, 667-677
  • Thomson, J., Nixon, S., Summerhayes, C.P., Schonfeld, J., Zahn, R., and Grootes, P.,1999, Implications for Sediment Changes on the Iberian Margin over the Last Two Glacial/Interglacial Transitions from (230Th-excess) Systematics. Earth and Plan. Sci. Letts.165, 255-270
  • Little, M.G., et al (C Summerhayes co-author), 1997, Trade Wind Forcing of Upwelling, Seasonality, and Heinrich Events as a Response to Sub Milankovitch Climate Variability. Paleoceanogr. 12(4), 568-576
  • Summerhayes, C.P., and Thorpe, S.A., (eds.), 1996, Oceanography: an Illustrated Guide. Manson Publishing, London, 314-337.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., et al., 1995, Variability in the Benguela Current Upwelling System over the past 75,000 years. Prog. Oceanog. 35, 207-251
  • Summerhayes, C.P., et al., (eds.), 1995, Upwelling in the Oceans. Dahlem Conference Report. J.Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 422pp
  • Posamentier, H., Summerhayes, C.P., Haq, B.U., and Allen, G., (eds.) 1993. Sequence Stratigraphy and Facies Association. Spec. Pub. 18, Int. Assoc. Sedimentol.
  • Summerhayes, C.P., Prell, W.L., and Emeis, K-C (eds), 1992. Upwelling Systems: Evolution Since the Early Miocene. Geol. Soc. Spec. Pub. 64., 519 pp
  • Summerhayes, C.P., and Shackleton, N.J., 1986 (eds) North Atlantic Palaeoceanography. Spec. Publ. Geol. Soc. 21, Blackwells, London 473 pp

Teaching

  • Visiting Professor, Geology Department, University College, London University (1987-1995)
  • Erskine Fellow, Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch NZ (2015-2016)
  • Guest Lecturer, Abercrombie and Kent Antarctic cruises (2010, 2012, 2014 (x2) and 2017)
  • Course Lecturer, Workers Educational Association (2017, 2018) and Guildford Institute (2018, 2019)
  • Occasional Lecturer, Universities, Geological Societies, U3A, PROBUS Business Groups, Womens Institutes, Rotary, Schools.

External activities

  • President, Society for Underwater Technology, 2009-2011 (Past President to 2016)
  • Vice-President, Geological Society of London, 2010-2013
  • Chair, International Advisory Board, International Arctic Science Committee (2015-2016)
  • Chair, International Advisory Board, Korea Polar Research Institute, 2011-12
  • Chair, Geological Society Development and Fund-Raising Committee, 2004-2013
  • Chair, Geological Society Climate Change Drafting Group, 2010 and 2013
  • Consultant, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (2018)
  • Member, Anthropocene Working Group of the Subcommittee on Quaternary Stratigraphy (2014- )
  • Member, UK Committee for Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) (2013-2016)
  • Editorial Board Member, Geoscientist Newsletter (2018 - )
  • Editor, Journal of Operational Oceanography (2008-2012)
  • Editor in Chief, Journal of Marine Science and Environment (2004-2008)
  • Member, Scientific Advisory Group, Institute for Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, 2006-2014
  • Member, ICSU/WMO Steering Committee for the International Polar Year, 2007-2010
  • Member, 1st IPY Science Conference Organising Committee, St Petersburg, 2007-2008
  • Member, 2nd IPY Science Conference Organizing Committee, Oslo, 2009-2010
  • Member, 3rd IPY IPY Science Conference Organising Committee, Montreal, 2010-1012
  • Secretary, Executive Committee of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), 2004-2010
  • Member, Scientific Steering Committee for the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), 1997-2004
  • Secretary, Scientific Steering Committee for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), 1997-2004

About

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Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge