november, 2019
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Event Details
Abstract:
James Croll – Joiner. Janitor. Geologist. Genius?
The second son of an impoverished Perthshire stonemason, James Croll was a brilliant scientist, recognised by the leading lights of the Victorian age. Without any proper mathematical training, he estimated the age of the Sun and the depth of the Antarctic ice; and he astonished his contemporaries by calculating the cycle of the Earth’s ice ages over three million years, and suggesting that they were caused by a combination of the Earth’s ‘wobble’ on its axis and eccentricities in its orbit.
Mike Robinson – Biography
Mike is the Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) based in Perth, a role he has held since 2008. He has worked in the Scottish charity and environment sector for the last 25 years, initially with RSPB as Head of Marketing, and later with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh as Director of Development.
In a voluntary capacity Mike has held more than forty board/advisory roles, mostly for environment and human rights bodies, including as previous Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS). He also chaired the Scottish Parliament’s short life working group on annual targets; sits on the advisory groups for Air Passenger Duty & ScotRail, and the board of Transform Scotland. In March 2013 he commissioned a book of short stories on climate change by leading authors. He is a member of the Arctic Strategy Forum & Perth City Development Board & is heavily involved in promoting climate change solutions. He is Co-chair of the independent inquiry Farming for 1.5 Degrees.
Mike holds two Honorary Fellowships (Scottish Environment Link and Royal Canadian Geographical Society) and several awards for his services to the environment.