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BSRG Awards

Perce Allen Award

The BSRG Perce Allen Award recognises a substantial body of research in any field of sedimentology.


This award recognises a substantial contribution in any field of sedimentology. Such a contribution will have made a profound and positive impact on the discipline, and may include but not be limited to, developing new generations of sedimentologists through outstanding leadership or mentoring, significant societal or economic translation of sedimentological research, creation of a substantial body of research, developing novel, innovative or transformative techniques, making a fundamental change in our understanding of sedimentology, or encouraging and enabling positive change within any discipline of sedimentology. Nominees can be at any age and any career level.

Past winners

2023 – Wojciech Nemec

2022 – Fiona Whitaker (University of Bristol)

2021 - Catherine Hollis (University of Manchester)

2019 - Steve Flint (University of Manchester)

2018 - Dave Hodgson (University of Leeds)

2017 - John Howell (University of Aberdeen)

2016 - Ian Fairchild (University of Birmingham)

2015 - Alastair Robertson (University of Edinburgh)

2014 - Doug Masson (Seascape Consultants)

2013 - Henry Pantin (University of Leeds)

2012 - Dan Bosence (Royal Holloway University of London)

2011 - John Bridge (Binghamton University)

2010 - Mike Leeder (University of East Anglia)

2008 - Stuart Haszeldine (University of Edinburgh)

2007 - Maurice Tucker (Durham University)

2006 - Paul Wright (Cardiff University)

2005 - Phil Allen (Imperial College, London)

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Roland Goldring Award

This award recognises a noteworthy contribution to any field of sedimentology. Nominees must be within ten years (full time equivalent) of the commencement of their research career. Any career break will be subtracted from the total time spent in the research. Historically this award has recognised only noteworthy published research. We now encourage nominees that have made any noteworthy contribution to the field of sedimentology.

Past winners

2023 – Catherine Russell (University of Leicester)

2022 – Miquel Poyatos More (University of Barcelona)

2021 – Yvonne Spychala (Leibniz Universiteit - Hannover)

2020 – Elda Miramontes (University of Bremen)

2019 - Mike Clare (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton)

2018 - Matthieu Cartigny (Durham University)

2017 - Christopher Stevenson (University of Liverpool)

2016 - Amanda Owen (University of Aberdeen)

2015 - Joris Eggenhuisen (Utrecht University)

2014 - Esther Sumner (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton)

2012 - Ian Kane (Statoil)

2011 - Chris Jackson (Imperial College, London)

2010 - Dave Hodgson (University of Liverpool)

2008 - Russell Wynn (National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton)

2007 - Sarah Davies (Leicester University)

2006 - Gary Hampson (Imperial College, London)

2005 - Nigel Mountney (Keele University)

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Harold Reading Medal

This medal is presented to the most influential and/or outstanding publication by a current or recent postgraduate student (normally within 2 years of doctoral award) from their PhD project in the field of sedimentology. It is expected that this PhD research will have been presented at the BSRG AGM but this is not a strict criterion for nomination. The Awards Committee do not take metrics such as Journal Impact Factor into account when assessing the submissions.


The paper should have been written primarily by the student (first author) and be based on his or her own research with the normal expected input from supervisors. The medal is awarded at the AGM. If you would like to nominate an individual for the Harold Reading Medal, please send a pdf copy of their paper and a brief letter of support outlining the reasons you feel that the paper represents an excellent contribution.

Past winners

2023 – Cole McCormick (Penn State) for the paper “Basin scale evolution of zebra textures in fault-controlled hydrothermal dolomite bodies: Insights from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in the journal Basin Research.

2022 – Mostafizur Rahman (Imperial College London) for the paper “Virtual outcrop-based analysis of channel and crevasse splay sandstone body architecture in the Middle Jurassic Ravenscar Group, Yorkshire, NE England in the Journal of the Geological Society.

2021 – Albine Gilmullian (University of Bergen) for the paper “Linking sediment supply variations and tectonic evolution in deep time, source-to-sink systems – The Greater Barents Sea Basin” published in GSA Bulletin.

2020 - Jack Stacey (University of Manchester) for the paper “Burial dolomitization driven by modified seawater and basal aquifer-sourced brines: insights from the Middle and Upper Devonian of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin” published in the journal of Basin Research.

2020 – Gregory Smith (University of Hull) for the paper “A bedform phase diagram for dense granular currents published” in the Journal Nature Communications.

2019 - Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza (Imperial College London) for the paper "Ecological niche modelling does not support climatically-driven dinosaur diversity decline before the Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction" published in Nature Communications in March 2019

2018 - Euan Soutter (University of Manchester) for the paper "Giant submarine landslide triggered by Palaeocene mantle plume activity in the north Atlantic" published in Geology in April 2018

2017 - Daniel Collins (Imperial College London) for the paper "Tidal dynamics and mangrove carbon sequestration during the Oligo-Miocene in the South China Sea" published in Nature Communications in June 2017

2016 - Jan de Leeuw (Utrecht University) for the paper "Morphodynamics of submarine channel inception revealed by new experimental approach" published in Nature Communications in March 2016

2015 - Marco Fonnesu (University College Dublin) for the paper "Short length-scale variability of hybrid event beds and its applied significance" published in Marine and Petroleum Geology in November 2015

2014 - Michael Clare (National Oceanography Centre Southampton) for the paper "Distal turbidites reveal a common distribution for large (>0.1 km3) submarine landslide recurrence", published in Geology in 2014

2013 - Jessica Ross (University of Leeds) for the paper "An integrated model of extrusive sand injectites in cohesionless sediments", published in Sedimentology in 2011

2012 - Michael Salter (Manchester Metropolitan University)

2011 - Amandine Prélat (Liverpool University, now at Imperial College)

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BSRG Award for Undergraduate Sedimentology

This prize is awarded to the best final-year undergraduate sedimentological project and celebrates undergraduate skills and achievement in sedimentology. The interests of BSRG members have always been broad, in line with our original ethos and therefore all aspects of sedimentology are considered. Sedimentology projects will normally have been submitted as part of the degree requirement in the student’s final year of their undergraduate programme (BSc or undergraduate Masters degree, e.g. MSci or MGeol) at a UK or Irish University.


Final-year projects submitted for the award should include sedimentological data that have been generated by the student through field, experimental or laboratory based work (such as the analysis of data from the subsurface). Final-year mapping projects that include a significant sedimentological component (such as a detailed analysis supported by for example, graphic logs, palaeoflow measurements, petrography, correlation panels or clast analysis) will be considered.


The judging panel will look for the following:

  • Clear evidence of the ability to make, record and present high quality primary sedimentological observations;

  • The interpretations are explored in an engaging manner with reference to related work incorporated appropriately;

  • The conclusions identify the main points of the project and are scientifically justified on the basis of the data presented.

Submission for consideration of the award: Departments should select their top ranked, independent project by a final year student and submit: 1) student’s name and degree course; 2) the mark and a pdf copy of the marksheet; 3) an account by the student’s supervisor of the support provided during the project and the duration over which the student had to work on project, i.e. is it due at the end of the academic year or half way through; and 4) send by email/FTP/dropbox the entire project in pdf format to the BSRG Awards Officer by August 1st each year.

Announcement: The BSRG Award for Undergraduate Sedimentology will be announced at the AGM.

Past winners

2023 – Jack Heath – The sedimentary architecture of the Kinder Scout palaeodelta, a fluviodeltaic succession of the Namurian Pennine Basin

2022 – Jennifer Hewitt (Bangor University) – Are tidal simulations of the Jurassic Laurussian Seaway inaccurate?

2021 – Annabella Ormerod (Bangor University)

2019 - Vivien Field (University of Leicester) - Changes in lithostratigraphy and palaeoenvironment between the Tithonian and the Early Eocene on the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset.

2017 - Jesse Zondervan (Imperial College London) - Landscape response to active faulting, southern Gulf of Corinth, central Greece.

2016 - Laura Briggs (University of Cambridge) - Sedimentological and ichnological analysis of the Upper Carboniferous Bude Formation, Culm Basin, Southwest England

Honourable mention: Isabela de la Cala (University of Hull)

2015 – Alexander Rolland (University of St Andrews) - Hummocky cross stratification and ancient storms.

Honourable Mentions: Robert Housego (University of Hull) and Adam Lindley (Swansea University).

2014 – Delano Henry (Kingston University) - Outcrop Study of the Bridport Sands and Sherwood Sandstone, Major Reservoir Intervals in the Wytch Farm Oilfield.

2013 - Nicolas Cope (University of Manchester) – An environmental assessment of the Geohazards and Seep phenomena in the Mad Dog block, Gulf of Mexico.

Honorable mentions: Geoff Richards (Bangor University) and Hannah Lee (Swansea University).

Dublin 2012 - David Warburton (Leeds University)

Honorable mentions: Mark Quint and Matthew Whitney (Swansea University).

London 2011 - Marion Grundy (University of Liverpool)

Honorable mentions: David Gold (University of Portsmouth) and India Weidle (Imperial College London).

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BSRG Award for Masters Sedimentology – Research Masters

This prize is awarded to the best sedimentological project completed by a student on a research Masters course at a UK or Irish university and celebrates skills and achievement in sedimentology. The interests of BSRG members have always been broad, in line with our original ethos and therefore all aspects of sedimentology are considered. The project will normally have been submitted as part of the MRes degree requirement.


Masters projects submitted for the award should include sedimentological data that have been generated by the student through field, experimental or laboratory based work (such as the analysis of data from the subsurface).


The judging panel will look for the following:

  • Clear evidence of the ability to make, record and present high quality primary sedimentological observations;

  • The interpretations are explored in an engaging manner with reference to related work incorporated appropriately;

  • The conclusions identify the main points of the project and are scientifically justified on the basis of the data presented.

Submission for consideration of the award: Departments should select their top ranked, independent project by a final year student and submit: 1) student’s name and degree course; 2) the mark and a pdf copy of the marksheet; 3) an account by the student’s supervisor of the support provided during the project and the duration over which the student had to work on project, i.e. is it due at the end of the academic year or half way through; and 4) send by email/FTP/dropbox the entire project in pdf format to the BSRG Awards Officer.


Announcement: The BSRG Award for Research Masters in Sedimentology will be announced at the AGM.

Past winners

2023 – Parichat Srisen (Royal Holloway University) – Seismic sequence stratigraphy and sedimentological analysis of a Miocene carbonate system, Browse Basin, NW Australia.

2022 – Shing Chung Chan (University of Aberdeen) – Alternative geological scenarios: Schiehallion segments 2, 3, and 5

2021 – Harry Rennie (Royal Holloway) – Variability of fault-controlled syn-rift deposits, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia.

2021 – Hajar Alwazzan (Imperial College London)

2019 - Holly Bargh (Bangor University) - Investigating the effect and significance of trigger mechanisms in creating earthquake induced Sediment Gravity Flows using scaled laboratory experiments.

2017 - Adriana Crisostomo Figueroa (University of Liverpool) - Stability of detrital grain-coating clays during sediment transport.

2016 - Megan Baker (University of Bangor) - The effect of clay type on the properties of cohesive sediment gravity flows.

2015 - Bonita Barrett-Crosdil (Bangor University) - An investigation into the seismic response of gassy marine sediments: a synthetic model study.

2014 - Simon Stephenson (Imperial College London) - A Cenozoic Uplift History of Mexico from Longitudinal River Profiles.

2013 - Gail McAleese (Bangor University) - Monitoring subaqueous sand dune evolution in response to tidal motions.

2012 - Rhys McCarthy (Bangor University) and James Lyne (Imperial College)

Honourable mention: Daniel Collins (Oxford University).

2011 - Manuel González-Quijano (Imperial College London) and Jane Grant (Bangor University)

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BSRG Award for Master in Sedimentology – Taught Masters

This prize is awarded to the best sedimentological project completed by a student on a one-year taught Masters course at a UK or Irish university and celebrates skills and achievement in sedimentology. The interests of BSRG members have always been broad, in line with our original ethos and therefore all aspects of sedimentology are considered. The project will normally be submitted as part of the MSc degree requirement.


Masters projects submitted for the award should include sedimentological data that has been generated by the student through field, experimental, or laboratory based work (such as the analysis of data from the subsurface).


The judging panel will look for the following:

  • Clear evidence of the ability to make, record, and present high quality primary sedimentological observations.

  • The interpretations are explored in an engaging manner with reference to related work incorporated appropriately.

  • The conclusions identify the main points of the project and are scientifically justified on the basis of the data presented.

Submission for consideration of the award: Departments should select their top ranked, independent project by a final year student and submit: 1) student’s name and degree course; 2) the mark and a pdf copy of the marksheet; 3) an account by the student’s supervisor of the support provided during the project and the duration over which the student had to work on project, i.e. is it due at the end of the academic year or half way through; and 4) send by email/FTP/dropbox the entire project in pdf format to the BSRG Awards Officer.


Announcement: The BSRG Award for Taught Masters in Sedimentology will be announced at the AGM.

Past winners

2023 – Parichat Srisen (Royal Holloway University) – Seismic sequence stratigraphy and sedimentological analysis of a Miocene carbonate system, Browse Basin, NW Australia.

2022 – Shing Chung Chan (University of Aberdeen) – Alternative geological scenarios: Schiehallion segments 2, 3, and 5

2021 – Harry Rennie (Royal Holloway) – Variability of fault-controlled syn-rift deposits, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia.

2021 – Hajar Alwazzan (Imperial College London)

2019 - Holly Bargh (Bangor University) - Investigating the effect and significance of trigger mechanisms in creating earthquake induced Sediment Gravity Flows using scaled laboratory experiments.

2017 - Adriana Crisostomo Figueroa (University of Liverpool) - Stability of detrital grain-coating clays during sediment transport.

2016 - Megan Baker (University of Bangor) - The effect of clay type on the properties of cohesive sediment gravity flows.

2015 - Bonita Barrett-Crosdil (Bangor University) - An investigation into the seismic response of gassy marine sediments: a synthetic model study.

2014 - Simon Stephenson (Imperial College London) - A Cenozoic Uplift History of Mexico from Longitudinal River Profiles.

2013 - Gail McAleese (Bangor University) - Monitoring subaqueous sand dune evolution in response to tidal motions.

2012 - Rhys Mthy (cCarBangor University) and James Lyne (Imperial College).

Honourable mention: Daniel Collins (Oxford University).

2011 - Manuel González-Quijano (Imperial College London) and Jane Grant (Bangor University)

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BSRG Poster Prize

This prize is awarded to the best poster presented by a postgraduate student at each AGM. Posters are an effective visual way of communicating research results, and provide a forum for discussion between the reader and researcher.

Past winners

London 2019 (sponsored by the International Association of Sedimentology)

Sinead Birks - Royal Holloway "Determining past ice flow direction and ice thickness in Eglwyseg and Glyn Ceiriog North Wales"

Louis Howell - Keele University: "The influence of local low-density basement anomalies on the distribution of fluvio-deltaic sediment in rift basins: the early Carboniferous Fell Sandstone Formation northern England"

Mohammad Zaki Zulkifli - University of Southampton/NOC "What are the dominant controls on submarine channel evolution? Detailed insights from thirteen years of repeat mapping in Knight Inlet British Columbia."

Arne Fuhrmann - University of Manchester "Hybrid turbidite-drift channel complexes - an integrated multi-scale model"

Yu-Chan Chang - University of Manchester "The Characteristics of Submarine Landslides in Active Volcanic Settings: Cohesion from Slope Stability Analysis the Central Azores Islands"


Edinburgh 2018 

Zhi Lin Ng (Royal Holloway University of London) - Effects of Latest Miocene changes of the Mediterranean-Atlantic Gateway Exchange and the Messinian Salinity Crisis on the Neogene basins around the Gulf of Cadiz.


Newcastle 2017 

Euan Soutter (University of Manchester) - Sedimentological characteristics of a confined deep-marine basin margin: the Grès d’Annot, SE France.


Keele 2015 

Dan Stokes (University College Dublin)

Highly Commended: Sophie Hage (NOC Southampton) and Catherine Breislin (University of Manchester)


Nottingham 2014

Catherine Russell (University of Leeds)

Highly Commended: Marie Busfield (Royal Holloway), Joshua Griffiths (University of Liverpool) and Richard McAllister (University of Manchester)


Hull 2013

Chris Herbert (University of East Anglia)

Highly Commended: Rachel Lamb (University of Manchester) and Janet Sherwin (University of Leicester).


Dublin 2012

Mauricio Santos (Universidade de São Paulo & University of Leeds)

Highly Commended: Hazel Beaumont (Keele University) and Hollie Romain (University of Leeds).


London 2011 

Luke Fairweather (University of Aberdeen)

Highly Commended: Roman Soltan (University of Leeds) and Sarah Southern (University of Leeds)


Southampton 2010 (Sponsored by PESGB)

Anna Kulikova (Royal Holloway)

Highly Commended: Jennifer Stuart (Leeds University) and Nick Holgate (Imperial College)


Bangor 2009 (Sponsored by PESGB)

Duncan Witts (Royal Holloway)

Harry McClelland (Cambridge University)

Highly Commended: Jo Venus (Leeds University) and Samer Ghadeer (Manchester University)


Liverpool 2008 (Sponsored by Shell)

Taoyuan Wei (University of Leeds)

Shahid Ghazi (University of Leeds)

Highly Commended: Inga Sevastjavona (Royal Holloway) and Elana Monzo (University of Calabria)


Birmingham 2007 (Oral Presentation - Sponsored by the PESGB)

Rachel Kieft (Imperial College)

Rhodri Jerrett (Liverpool University)

Ester Sumner (Bristol University)


Birmingham 2007 (Poster Presentation - Sponsored by Shell)

Lee Toms (University College Dublin)

Oliver Wakefield / Stephen Cain (Keele University)

Highly Commended: Charles Wilson (Durham University)


Aberdeen 2006 (Sponsored by Shell)

Ian Kane (Leeds University)

Highly Commended: Jorge Figueiredo (Liverpool University), James Hoyes (Leeds University) and Stephen Cain (Keele University)


Durham 2005 (Sponsored by Shell)

Robert Duller (Keele University)

Elizabeth Nunn (Plymouth University)

Highly Commended: David Meadows (Cardiff University), Christopher Banks (Keele University) and Carlos Oliviera (Liverpool University)

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