A Geology for Engineer

Faculty of Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Michael oversaw the transition of engineering geology from the Department of Geology to the Department of Civil Engineering and its merger with the MSc course in Soil Mechanics, thereby re-establishing the link that had existed between courses in the 1950s and early 1960s, when both were located in the Goldsmiths Annex of the Royal School Mines in South Kensington. He has been in charge of the Master's course in Engineering Geology since 1984 and in this capacity has ensured, by appointing examiners from the continent, that the course is well known in Europe. He is currently serving as External Examiner for a Master's course in Applied Geosciences at the University of Hong Kong and Chair of the Committee responsible for Teaching and Training at the International Association of Engineering Geology and Environment. Michael has been called on several times to advise on industrial and contractual problems both in the UK and abroad to the private and public sectors. He has been an active member of the Geological Society of London having held various positions there including Vice President and Head of the Engineering Group, Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Chair of the Promotions Coordinating Committee. He has served on the Natural Environment Research Council's Research Grants Committee and chaired the working segment report on the British Building Industry Research and Information Society (CIRIA) Stratigraphic Nomenclature. His publications include author of two text books, contributor to three books, editor of six books, author of 45 refereed papers in geotechnical journals, and 23 non-reviewed publications in conferences. Areas of Expertise: Application of geology in the far and near field ranges to engineering design and construction in soil and rock, at and below ground level, including prediction and control of groundwater. Study of geological controls on the geotechnical properties of rocks and soil in the field and laboratory scale.