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Hugh Bibby

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Hugh Bibby
Born
Hugh Mannering Bibby

(1943-11-14) 14 November 1943 (age 81)
Wellington, New Zealand
Alma materUniversity of Manchester
Spouse
Hazel Downing
(m. 1970; div. 1987)
Children2
Scientific career
FieldsGeophysics
InstitutionsGNS Science
ThesisUnsteady flow in a stratified rotating field (1970)
WebsiteGNS Science profile

Hugh Mannering Bibby (born 14 November 1943) is a New Zealand geophysicist. He holds the position of emeritus geophysicist at the New Zealand research institute GNS Science.[1]

Life and career

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Bibby was born in Wellington on 14 November 1943, the son of Ina Mary Bibby (née Coulter) and James Bruce Bibby, later appointed director of dental hygiene in the Department of Health.[2][3] He studied at Victoria University of Wellington before doing postgraduate study at Manchester University, where he graduated with a PhD in applied mathematics in 1970.[1]

On 18 April 1970, Bibby married Hazel Downing in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. They returned to New Zealand and had two children, before divorcing in 1987.[2] Hazel was a local politician in Wellington. She was a Wellington City Councillor from 1980 to 1986, Wellington Regional Councillor from 1983 to 1989 and member of the Wellington Harbour Board from 1983 to 1989.[4][5][6]

Bibby worked at the Geophysics Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.[2] Between 1973 and 2005 he wrote or co-wrote more than 40 research papers on geophysics.[1] His work has included the discovery that the Mokai geothermal field is a major energy resource. There is now a geothermal power station at the site.[7] He also devised a mathematical theory to account for how surveying marks throughout New Zealand are moving with respect to each other.[7]

In 1999, Bibby was awarded the Hutton Medal "for fundamental contributions to earth sciences in earth deformation analysis and geo-electrical prospecting".[8] In 2002 he was awarded the Shorland Medal in recognition of "his work in understanding geothermal fields".[7] He has twice received the New Zealand Geophysics Prize: in 1978 for his mathematical geodetic theory, and in 1999, together with Grant Caldwell, for innovations in electrical prospecting theory.[9] Bibby was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1998.[7][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Hugh Bibby". GNS Science. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c White, Sue; Bibby, Geoff. "The Bibby Family in New Zealand" (PDF). p. 16. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  3. ^ "New dental director". The Press. Vol. 92, no. 27779. 3 October 1955. p. 10. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Local Body Polls '83". The Evening Post. 10 October 1983. p. 8.
  5. ^ Bly, Ross (24 October 1986). Declaration of Election Results (Report). Wellington City Council.
  6. ^ Johnson, David (1996). "Members and Officers of the Wellington Harbour Board, Appendix 1". Wellington Harbour. Wellington Maritime Museum Trust. p. 480. ISBN 0958349800.
  7. ^ a b c d "Accolade for top geophysicist". GNS Science. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Previous recipients". Royal Society of NZ. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ "New Zealand Geophysics Prize". Geoscience Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ^ "List of all Fellows with surnames A–C". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
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