Geoffrey Lloyd

Profile

I am Reader in Microgeodynamics in the Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics. I have acted as Secretary of the Tectonic Studies Group of the UK and Ireland and sat on the Electron Microscopy Committee of the Royal Microscopical Society. I am a founder-member of the LEMAS (Leeds Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy) Centre, in collaboration with the Institute of Materials Research at Leeds, which provides electron microscopy services to meet both internal and external demands.

Responsibilities

• Manager, School Thin-Section Preparation Laboratory
• School University Library Representative

Research interests

I am a structural geologist with particular interest in microstructural evolution and deformation processes, although I have interest also in the regional geology of SW England, NW Scotland, the western Alps and Himalaya. My early research career focussed on the formation of boudinage and related features, including their usage in strain analysis, and particularly the recognition, measurement, interpretation and significance of crystal lattice preferred orientation (LPO) development in rocks and analogue materials (i.e. metals and ceramics) using electron channelling in the scanning electron microscope. My interest in the latter has continued throughout my career to the present and today involves use of SEM electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) to characterise the orientation and misorientation characteristics of minerals, rocks, metals and ceramics, from which various petrophysical properties can be derived. My current research therefore involves using petrofabric-derived seismic properties to explain and interpret seismic data in terms of large scale geodynamic processes in both the crust and mantle. In addition, I am particularly interested in the geological evolution of the Rhoscolyn area of Anglesey, a location popular for undergraduate field teaching as well as research,

SEM and Microprobe facilities

In 1988 I was part of the then Department of Earth Sciences team that acquired funding via UGC Review to purchase state-of-the art SEM and microprobe plus ancillary equipment. Subsequently, in 2009, I was part of the project team to replace these instruments, obtaining 50% matched funding from HEFCE and the instruments were commissioned in 2010-11. Both are modern, top-of-the-range instruments, optimised for geological sample analysis. We are a small research facility (SRF) and welcome enquiries for use. More information, contact details, sample images and data can be found on the Facilities web pages. In 2016, I was similarly part of the project team that gained matching funds to replace the old Rock Deformation Research SEM (which I had also helped to obtain), acquired when RDR was purchased from private/university ownership.

Structural and mechanical properties of and processes within the orogenic middle crust (PhD project; Amicia Lee)

Taija Torvela, Geoff Lloyd, Andrew Walker

School of Earth & Environment Teaching Assistantship

The overall aim of the project is to understand middle and lower (M/L) crustal structure and behaviour during orogenesis, and especially during lateral orogenic spreading as seen today in the Tibetan Plateau. Some of the important questions that address this are: i) how weak is the M/L crust overall and what is its rheological behaviour; ii) what are the structural patterns in the M/L crust associated with orogenic spreading; iii) how does partially molten material behave during deformation at a microstructural scale; iv) can e.g. seismic anisotropy be used to investigate M/L crust in situ; and v) what processes can be inferred from the observed structural geometries, crystallographic, seismic, and rheological properties, and how can they drive orogenic spreading. The PhD project addresses some of these questions by e.g. field work and laboratory (SEM/EBSD) analyses of exposed analogues to M/L orogenic (Tibetan) crust, in order to study structural patterns in the M/L crust, and to infer e.g. rheological properties through high-T crystallographic behaviour of partially molten rocks.

Qualifications

• PhD, Structural Geology, University of Birmingham
• MPhil, Structural and Numerical Geology, University of Nottingham
• BSc, Geology and Geography, Univesity of Nottingham

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Geological Sciety of London (1975)
• Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society
• Member of the American geophysical Union
• Member of the European Microscopy Society

Student education

I teach at all undergraduate levels within the School. Obviously. However, my main teaching involves Structural Geology (including Geomechanics) but I have also taught Computing and Statistics, Mineralogy and Petrology, and various aspects of Maps and Stratigraphy.My teaching is heavily practical and field based. As such, I have led/taught on many of the School's field classes (Pembroke, NW Scotland, Lake District, Anglesey, Connemara, SW England), whilst I have supervised undergraduate mapping projects in a number of locations (e.g. Lizard, N. Cornwall, N. Devon, SW, W, NW and N. Highlands, S. France, French and Swiss Alps). More recently, I have co-develloped a project to develop 'virtual geological landscapes' using the Unity game engine, with particular emphasis on brodening outreach and inclusivity for students unable to participate in fieldwork. This project won the 2016 Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Digital Innovation in Teaching or Research.

I am a member of both the Geological Sciences B.Sc. and Structural Geology with Geophysics M.Sc. Programme Development Teams, as well as the core GS PDT team. I have performed the roles of Undergraduate Mapping Projects and MGeol. Independent Research Projects Modules Leader.

For many years I have acted as the convenor for the School Kennedy Library and University Library representative for Earth Sciences and now the School of Earth and Environment.

Research groups and institutes

• Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics
• Geodynamics and Tectonics