ANU Seismologist Elected to the Royal Society

Professor Malcolm Sambridge, a seismologist and mathematical geophysicist at the Australian National University (ANU) Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES), has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society—the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences and the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.

"I feel very honoured, but equally humbled and astonished."

Background

Professor Sambridge began his academic career at the University of Cambridge before relocating to Australia in 1984 to pursue a PhD at ANU under Professor Brian Kennett. He completed his doctorate in 1988 and returned to ANU in 1992 for a postdoctoral position, where he remained for over 30 years.

Key Contributions

The Neighbourhood Algorithm

In 1999, Professor Sambridge developed the Neighbourhood Algorithm, a technique for solving complex inverse problems in geophysics—such as locating deep Earth structures using seismic data.

Discovery of Earth's Innermost Inner Core

In 2021, Professor Sambridge and ANU colleagues used the Neighbourhood Algorithm to confirm the existence of a fifth layer within Earth's interior, known as the innermost inner core.

AuSIS Program

He co-founded the Australian Seismometers in Schools (AuSIS) program in 2012. This initiative has installed research-grade seismometers in over 50 schools across Australia, with data collected used for both research and education.

Recognition

Professor Sambridge is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. His election to the Royal Society places him among notable scientists including Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Dorothy Hodgkin.

Statement

Professor Sambridge described the election as "overwhelming" and credited colleagues and the supportive environment at ANU, noting that scientific achievements are collaborative.