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Francis Nimmo elected to prestigious fellowship of UK's Royal Society

May 16, 2024

Headshot of Francis Nimmo
Francis Nimmo (Photo by Carolyn Lagattuta)
Francis Nimmo, professor of earth and planetary sciences, has been named a fellow of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences. The society announced today the election of 90 researchers from around the world as new fellows, citing their "invaluable contributions to science."

Nimmo is the only scientist at UC Santa Cruz in the Royal Society's fellowship. He is an expert in earth sciences and geophysics, interested in how planets and satellites have evolved to their current states, and what explains the spectacular planetary diversity we see. Specifically, he researches the structure and evolution of rocky and icy planets and satellites, as well as models the thermal evolution of planets through time.

At UC Santa Cruz, Nimmo teaches math for earth scientists, the outer solar system, planetary surfaces and interiors. He earned his Ph.D. in planetary sciences and his bachelor's degree in natural sciences (geology) from Cambridge University.

The Royal Society is a self-governing fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished researchers, drawn from all areas of science, engineering, and medicine. Founded in 1660, the society’s fundamental purpose is to recognize, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.