Frederick Richards

Fred Richards is a Lecturer in Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, part of the Faculty of Engineering. His affiliations include the Climate and Health initiative, the Earth Observation Network, and the Grantham Institute. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2014–2018) and a MEarthSci from the University of Oxford (2010–2014). Previously, he served as an Imperial College Research Fellow (2019–2022) and a Schmidt Science Fellow at Harvard University (2018–2019).

His research focuses on understanding Earth’s deep dynamics and their surface expressions, including mantle convection’s impact on landscape evolution, glacial isostatic adjustment, and sea-level change. Key projects involve reconciling numerical models with geological observations to refine ice sheet models and mineral resource exploration. His work bridges geophysics, geochemistry, and geomatic engineering with applications to sustainable development goals.

Richards has received the William Smith Fund (2022) and supervises PhD students James Hazzard, Matthew Morris, and Tom Burns. His lab explores Antarctic ice stability, dynamic topography, and mineral deposit localization. Collaborations include institutions like Harvard, Cambridge, and Geoscience Australia.