Robert Benjamin Kidd
19471996 |
| Robert Benjamin Kidd will be long remembered for his enthusiastic support of marine geosciences worldwide, his innovative thinking, and his organizational skills. |
| Rob gained his BSc from Kingston, and then went on to complete a PhD from Southampton University (Oceanography) in 1973. As a research student, he made a comprehensive study of the then poorly understood sedimentary processes in the Tyrrhenian Sea, an area of research which he continued to pursue for much of his career. With his thesis safely under his belt, Rob took up a position at the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences (IOS) in Wormley, UK. At IOS, Rob worked on a wide range of projects which included initial work on interpreting GLORIA sidescan sonar images of the sea floor, organic-rich sediments or sapropels in the Mediterranean, and evaluating the potential for the disposal of radioactive waste at sea. The impact of his many papers in these fields came from his multidisciplinary approach, one of which proved of immense importance in solving major geological problems. In 1973 Rob moved to America, becoming a visiting scientist at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla. It was during this period that Rob's interest in deep sea drilling developed. He became closely associated with the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP), participating on five cruises, three as co-chief scientist. Research during this period led to numerous publications on ocean circulation, sediment drifts and high-resolution stratigraphy, many of which received wide acclaim from his peers. |
| After a short return to IOS, Rob moved to the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) at Texas A&M University, College Station, where he was appointed Professor of Oceanography and Head of ODP Science Operations. He quickly initiated many new working procedures which still live on today at ODP, including pre- and post-cruise science operations and publication procedure. He was also very proud of the state-of-the-art drillship laboratory facilities which he helped design. |
| In 1986 Rob moved back to Wales where he had been born 39 years before, to take up the appointment of Professor of Geology and Head of Department at University College Swansea. Soon after, he presided over the integration of the Geology and Oceanography Departments into the Department of Earth Sciences. Through uncertain times during the first universities research assessment exercise, Rob continued to maintain a cheerful and supportive attitude to his staff and students, despite prolonged periods of illness. Rationalization led to a move to Cardiff where he took on the role of Professor of Marine Geology and head what became a vibrant Marine Geosciences Research Group. |
| Rob continued to be a major guiding force within ODP, chairing the Site Survey Panel from 1989 and later becoming Chair of the Scientific Planning Committee (PCOM). Through his determined efforts a major coup was achieved in 1994 when the Joint |
| Oceanographic Institute Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES) office was relocated to Cardiff, the first time it had been located outside America. For two years the scientific planning of the ODP was co-ordinated and organized by Rob and his staff. |
| During the later part of his career Rob developed a passionate link with the UNESCO-funded Training Through Research (TREDMAR) programme. The project involved training a wide variety of international students at sea using the Russian research vessel Gelendzhik as the floating classroom. Rob and other international colleagues enthused about this programme and enjoyed the trips in the Mediterranean. The reputation and continued success of the TREDMAR programme owes much to Rob's efforts. |
| In June of 1996 the geological community under the banner of the Geological Society of London recognized the international scientific efforts of Rob and awarded him the prestigious Major John Sachervell A'Deane Coke Medal. |
| In the time we knew him, Rob was friend to us all, a diligent, well-liked man who was respected. His warmth and sense of fun were limitless. Most importantly he loved his family and his friends. We all miss him. |
| Rob Benjamin Kidd was born in Milford Haven on 17 September 1947, and died in London on 9 June 1996. He is survived by his wife Rosalie and four sons. |
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