Arctic and Antarctic sedimentologist, Chief Geologist and Managing Director of CASP
Andrew was born in Birmingham. His father, Gordon Whitham, lectured in organic chemistry at the university. His mother was born Mary Gordon, hence Andy’s middle name! Gordon moved to Oxford University with the family in 1965, where Andy and his sisters, Sarah and Emma, grew up. Educated initially at Magdalen College School, Oxford (1971-1978), he read Geology at Durham University (1978-1981). There at Van Mildert College he met Julie Gray. They married in 1990, setting up home appropriately off Oxford Road, Cambridge.
University of Cambridge
In 1981, Andy started his PhD on subaqueous pyroclastic rocks at the interface between volcanology and sedimentology, supervised by Steve Sparks. Andy’s geological adventures took him to the Caribbean, USA and Italy. His brilliant experimental study of sinking and floating pumice resulted in the widely cited “Pumice”, the shortest titled volcanology article. His engaging, humorous and warm personality created a positive atmosphere in the research group. His supervisor’s only concern was that Andy always beat him at squash.
British Antarctic Survey
Andy’s first job was as sedimentologist to the British Antarctic Survey (1985-1990) studying the backarc basin of the Antarctic Peninsula in two 5-month field seasons, contributing to the study of shallow marine siliciclastic rocks, deep marine anoxia, vitrinite reflectance and basin analyses. His research was augmented by field work in Barbados and examination of oceanic black shales in South Atlantic boreholes at the Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory, USA.
CASP
In 1990, Andy joined CASP (formerly the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Program). There he worked for the rest of his life, rising to become its Chief Geologist in 2003, which was combined with Managing Director from 2014.
He set up the East Greenland Project, one of CASP’s flagship enterprises, leading 27 expeditions from 1990 to 2018. He was involved in a wide variety of studies that have been paramount to understanding the hydrocarbon-rich Norwegian sector of the North Atlantic, as well as other projects in Arctic Canada and Libya.
When seeking a new chief geologist at CASP, Brian Harland once advised Peter Friend, chairman of the Trustees to ‘find someone using Andy Whitham as a yardstick’! Under his able management, CASP has weathered the current hydrocarbon industry low. His enthusiasm, positive leadership and skilled negotiating abilities helped the various CASP projects maintain the interest of the subscribing companies. Andy also served as editor for the Geological Magazine from 2008 and 2017.
Andys’ pathway crossed mine many times from his Cambridge student days, through BAS and to CASP. We worked in both the Arctic and Antarctic, in some of the world’s most beautiful yet most challenging areas of frontier geology. Together in Greenland, we faced stormy seas in small boats, crossed treacherous crevassed ice-fields and raging torrents, had campsites destroyed around us, survived temperatures down to -40°C, and looked polar bears straight in the eye. None compared with him for companionship and leadership in the field. Without him our world is a much poorer place.
Andy was awarded the Polar Medal in 1995. His name and CASP are commemorated in the Greenland Cretaceous bivalve,
Caspiconcha whithami. In Antarctica, Whitham Bluffs was most appropriately named! His publication record stands as the memorial to his geological skills.
Andy suddenly became acutely unwell at home early on 31 January 2019 and died in hospital later that morning. He leaves his loving wife, Julie, and children, Joseph and Rachel.
By Simon R.A. Kelly
(For further background see the CASP Website which includes Andy’s publication record
www.casp.cam.ac.uk)
(The full version of this obituary appears below.
Editor.)
Andrew Gordon Whitham (1960-2019)
Arctic and Antarctic sedimentologist, Chief Geologist and Managing Director of CASP
Andrew was born in Birmingham. His father, Gordon Whitham, lectured in organic chemistry at the university. His mother was born Mary Gordon, hence Andy’s middle name! Gordon moved to Oxford University with the family in 1965, where Andy and his sisters, Sarah and Emma, grew up. Educated initially at Magdalen College School, Oxford (1971-1978), he read Geology at Durham University (1978-1981). There at Van Mildert College he met Julie Gray. They married in 1990, setting up home appropriately off Oxford Road, Cambridge.
University of Cambridge
In 1981, Andy started his PhD in the Department of Earth Sciences on the topic of subaqueous pyroclastic rocks at the interface between volcanology and sedimentology, supervised by Steve Sparks. Andy’s geological adventures took him to the Caribbean, USA and Italy. His brilliant experimental study of sinking and floating pumice resulted in the widely cited “Pumice”, the shortest titled volcanology article. His engaging, humorous and warm personality put him at the centre of creating a positive atmosphere in the research group. His supervisor’s only concern was that Andy always beat him at squash.
British Antarctic Survey
His first job was as sedimentologist to the British Antarctic Survey (1985-1990) studying the backarc basin of the Antarctic Peninsula in two 5-month field seasons, contributing to the study of shallow marine siliciclastic rocks, deep marine anoxia, vitrinite reflectance and basin analyses. His research was augmented by field work in Barbados and examination of oceanic black shales in South Atlantic boreholes at the Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory, USA.
CASP
In 1990, Andy joined CASP (formerly the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Program), an educational charitable organization specializing in the geology of remote regions and funded by the oil industry. There he worked for the rest of his life, rising to become its Chief Geologist in 2003, which was combined with Managing Director from 2014.
He set up the East Greenland Project, which continues today as one of CASP’s flagship enterprises, leading 27 expeditions from 1990 to 2018. He was involved with many colleagues in a wide variety of studies that have been paramount to understanding the hydrocarbon-rich Norwegian sector of the North Atlantic. He was also involved directly in other projects in Arctic Canada and Libya.
When seeking a new chief geologist at CASP, Brian Harland once advised Peter Friend, chairman of the Trustees to ‘find someone using Andy Whitham as a yardstick’! Under his able management, CASP has weathered the current hydrocarbon industry low. His enthusiasm, positive leadership and skilled negotiating abilities helped the various CASP projects to maintain the interest of the subscribing companies. Andy also served as editor for the Geological Magazine from 2008 and 2017.
Andys’ pathway crossed mine many times from his Cambridge student days, through BAS and to CASP. We worked in both the Arctic and Antarctic, in some of the world’s most beautiful yet most challenging areas of frontier geology. Together in Greenland, we faced stormy seas in small boats, crossed treacherous crevassed ice-fields and raging torrents, had campsites destroyed around us, survived temperatures down to -40°C, and looked polar bears straight in the eye. There is no-one who compared with him for companionship and leadership in the field. Without him our world is a much poorer place.
Andy was awarded the Polar Medal in 1995. His name and CASP are commemorated in the Greenland Cretaceous bivalve,
Caspiconcha whithami. In Antarctica, Whitham Bluffs was most appropriately named! His publication record stands as the memorial to his geological skills, with over 55 principal articles already to his name.
Andy suddenly became acutely unwell at home early on 31 January 2019 and died in hospital later that morning. He leaves his loving wife, Julie, and children, Joseph and Rachel.
By Simon R.A. Kelly
(For further background see the CASP Website which includes Andy’s publication record
www.casp.cam.ac.uk)