Malcolm Sambridge

Professor Malcolm Sambridge’s new mathematical approaches to analysing complex geophysical data have fundamentally altered the way in which we understand the Earth and its internal processes.

Malcolm Sambridge has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the Earth and its internal processes through new mathematical approaches to analysing complex geophysical datasets. His new approaches to modelling diverse observational data – including statistically meaningful estimates of uncertainty – have had wide-ranging impact in geoscientific research. Malcolm’s work has changed the way in which we analyse seismic waves for the structure of the Earth’s interior, model landscape evolution, understand populations of mineral ages from isotopic microanalysis, and interpret infrared absorption spectra associated with hydrous crystal defects in silicate minerals.

Professor Sambridge is Head of Seismology and Mathematical Geophysics at the Australian National University’s Research School of Earth Sciences. His career achievements have earnt him Fellowship to the Australian Academy of Science. He has also won national awards for his work in establishing the Seismometers in Schools program.