Glossop Medal

The Glossop Lecture and Medal was initiated as the most prestigious lecture of the Engineering Group of the Geological Society, to be presented by an invited eminent engineering geologist. The requirement for the presentation is that it should highlight the contribution made in the application of engineering geology to civil engineering. This may be achieved by utilizing a subject that illustrates a particular expertise or summarizes a significant contribution to the science by the invitee.

Rudolph Glossop (1902-1993) is credited with bringing together academics and practitioners in engineering geology in the UK; he was involved in setting up the Engineering Group in 1964 and, in 1966, the Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, having previously also help set up the Geotechnical Society and the journal Geotechnique in 1948. Glossop was the eighth Rankine Lecturer in 1967; he was also Chairman of the Engineering Group (1965-68) and Vice President of the Geological Society (1969). Glossop’s contribution to engineering geology is recognised by the Engineering Group of the Geological Society through the prestigious Glossop Lecture and Glossop Award, established in 1997.