Barbara Sherwood Lollar (photo by Perry King)
Barbara Sherwood Lollar receives Geological Society of London's Wollaston Medal
Published: March 6, 2025
Barbara Sherwood Lollar, a University Professor in the department of earth sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been awarded the 2025 Wollaston Medal by the Geological Society of London.
The society’s highest distinction, the Wollaston Medal has been bestowed since 1831 in recognition of landmark geoscientific research, with past winners including Charles Darwin and the late U of T Professor John Tuzo Wilson.
Sherwood Lollar is renowned for her research on ancient waters and the deep subsurface biosphere, with over 200 published peer-reviewed scientific papers. Her work has contributed to the evaluation of deep geologic repositories’ potential for disposal of low- and high-level nuclear waste and storage of atmospheric carbon and enabled the identification of new areas of hydrogen-rich rock with potential to contribute clean energy alternatives.
“The Geological Society of London was the crucible in which so many of the founding principles of geological sciences arose,” says Sherwood Lollar. “These principles laid the foundation for how scientists observe, investigate and understand the planet.
“It is an immense thrill to receive the Wollaston Medal and an honour to contribute to a community that has persevered throughout history in pursuit of an understanding of the earth driven by facts, by hypothesis testing and by the rigorous application of reasoning, thereby establishing a strong foundation for public policy and action.”
