Prof. Simon F. Mitchell

Prof
Simon
Mitchell

Professor of Sedimentary Geology
B.Sc. in Geology, First Class University of Hull (1989)
Ph.D. in Geology, University of Liverpool (1993)
simon.mitchell@uwimona.edu.jm

Tabs

Overview

Simon F. Mitchell holds a personal chair "Professor of Sedimentary Geology" at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Kingston, Jamaica. He is very active in outreach programmes and has done numerous (over 70) radio and TV interviews and regularly contributes to Newspapers (letters and guest columns). He provides many lectures (both in person and online) to both professional and non-professional societies and organisations.

Research
Interests: 
My current active research interests are constrained by my location in the Caribbean. With a wealth of experience I would adapt to new areas of study to broaden my overall interest in Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks and their resource exploitation.
Research Interests: 
1. Caribbean Geology and Plate Tectonics (active work in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad, Texas).
2. Geology of Jamaica map series. Producing new 1:50,000 scale parish maps and a 1:100,000 scale map of Jamaica.
3. Palaeontology, palaeoecology and sedimentology of rudist bivalves and the Cretaceous carbonate platforms that they inhabited, controls on their distribution.
4. Eocene to Miocene carbonate platforms – constructional patterns and diagenesis.
5. Larger Benthic Foraminifers for Cretaceous and Cenozoic biostratigraphy and palaeoecology.
6. Petroleum geology - developing new basins (source rocks, reservoir and petroleum systems).
7. Application of pure geological research to solve developmental and resource issues (current focuses on high-quality limestone and dolomite resources and infrastructural development programmes).
8. Palaeontology and distribution patterns of coleoid/belemnite cephalopods
Honours and Awards: 
Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, The University of the West Indies, October, 2014.
The Chubb Award for excellence in geology, Geological Society of Jamaica, 2013 (Awarded 29th January, 2015)
The Gleaner Newspaper (Jamaica) Honour Award for Science and Technology, 2011.
Moore Medal by the Yorkshire Geological Society for his undergraduate mapping project on Raasay. the University of Liverpool (1993)
Grants: 
Prof. Simon Mitchell and Mr. Paul Williams. Seismic Resilience Project (UWI Earthquake Unit), April 2017. 104 million Jamaica dollars (=US$800,000) for seismic equipment and studies, from the World Bank, dispersed by the Jamaican Social Investment Fund
Dr A. Mandal, Prof M. Webber, Ms P. Francis, Mr C. Trench, Dr R. Smith, Dr R. Kinlocke, Ms. T. Edwards and Prof S. Mitchell. “Assessment and Economic Valuation of Coastal Protection Services Provided by Mangroves in Jamaica", World Bank: 90,000 USD, 2017
Dr Arpita Mandal, Prof Simon Mitchell, Dr Robert Kinlocke, Dr Donovan Blissett and Dr David Miller. “Sediment Budget Monitoring of the Upper Rio Minho Basin”, IDB: 215,000 USD, February 2018, project duration: 23 months.
Simon F. Mitchell. “Nicaragua Rise Correlation Project”. CaribX: 45,000 USD, June 2018, Project duration 18 months (delayed due to Covid).
Publications
Publications and Presentations: 
Teaching
Courses Taught: 
GEOL1102 Earth Science 2: Earth Processes and Earth History
GEOL2204 Geological Mapping and Map Interpretation
GEOL2205 Structural Geology and Caribbean Tectonics
GEOL3100 Field Geology/Geology Project
GEOL3101 Caribbean Geology
GEOL3104 Sedimentology and Facies Analysis
GEOL3105 Petroleum Geology