Professor Peter Cawood awarded prestigious Murchison Medal
Professor Peter Cawood
Congratulations to Professor Peter Cawood, from the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, on being awarded the 2026 Murchison Medal by the Geological Society of London, one of the discipline’s most prestigious honours recognising outstanding contributions to hard‑rock geology and the deep-time evolution of the Earth’s crust.
The Murchison Medal, established under the will of pioneering Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, is reserved for researchers whose work demonstrates both depth and breadth in advancing the understanding of the solid Earth.
Professor Cawood’s career exemplifies this standard.
A global leader in tectonics, continental evolution and the geological record of early Earth processes, his research has transformed scientific understanding of how continents form, stabilise and reorganise over billions of years. His work interrogates the ancient interiors of continents (cratons) which preserve the earliest clues to the onset of plate tectonics and the conditions that shaped the planet’s first stable crust.
Through innovative use of geological, geochemical and geophysical evidence, he has helped build the case that plate tectonic processes may extend deep into the Archean, far earlier than many previous models suggested
Across a prolific research career, Professor Cawood has published extensively on continental growth, accretionary orogenesis, supercontinent cycles, and the tectonic evolution of cratons worldwide. His scholarship spans leading journals including Precambrian Research, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Geology, and the Geological Society of America Bulletin. He is among the world’s most highly cited Earth scientists, with more than 47,000 citations and a D-index of 111, and has been recognised as a Fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Murchison Medal adds to this distinguished record, acknowledging not only Professor Cawood’s scientific impact but also his role in shaping debates about the early Earth, the emergence of plate tectonics, and the forces that have governed continental assembly and dispersal through deep time.
The Faculty of Science celebrates this achievement as a testament to Professor Cawood’s leadership, his sustained contributions to global geoscience, and the strength of Earth science research within the Faculty.
Professor Cawood’s work continues to redefine our understanding of the planet’s earliest history and this award recognises a career dedicated to uncovering the processes that built the world beneath our feet.
Further information
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