Michael Bentley

Professor Michael Bentley is a polar geoscientist at Durham University's Department of Geography within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health. With over 130 peer-reviewed publications and nearly £10 million in research funding over the last five years, he has established himself as a leading expert in Antarctic ice sheet dynamics and past environmental change.

Professor Bentley's research focuses on the past history of ice sheets and environmental change, with particular emphasis on Antarctica, Greenland, and Patagonia. His work combines glacial geomorphology and cosmogenic isotope surface exposure dating to infer past ice sheet thickness and extent variations. He collaborates closely with modellers in a two-way process that allows field data to constrain models and models to direct future field campaigns. His research spans four main areas: ice sheet history, glacial isostatic adjustment, sub-glacial access, and the glacial and climate history of Patagonia. He leads the UKANET network of GPS receivers across the Antarctic Peninsula and parts of West Antarctica, and was awarded an ERC Advanced Grant (INCISED) in 2020 to retrieve rock samples from beneath the Antarctic ice sheet.

Analysis of Professor Bentley's recent publications reveals a strong focus on Antarctic ice sheet dynamics, with particular attention to the evolution of ice sheets through geological time and their response to climate change. His work spans multiple disciplines including glaciology, geomorphology, geophysics, and paleoclimatology, often employing interdisciplinary approaches that combine field observations, remote sensing, and modeling. A notable trend in his recent work is the increasing use of subglacial topography and paleo-surfaces to understand long-term ice sheet behavior, as well as expanding research into the connections between ocean warming and ice sheet stability.

• ERC Advanced Grant (INCISED) recipient (2020)
• Nearly £10 million in research funding over last 5 years
• Member of multiple international research consortia
• Regular service on UK and overseas grant panels

Professor Bentley actively supervises PhD students including Claire Penny, Thale Damm-Johnsen, and Yas Cole. He continues to make substantial contributions to science outreach through print, web, and broadcast media, as well as regional engagement with schools and civic society. He welcomes enquiries from potential PhD and Masters students interested in polar science and ice sheet dynamics.

His research involves collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, US POLENET program, and international consortia including SWAIS-2C. He oversees the UKANET network of approximately 30 GPS receivers across the Antarctic Peninsula, providing real-time data on bedrock uplift and subsidence. His work on sub-glacial access includes participation in the NERC-funded Lake Ellsworth Consortium and ongoing efforts to retrieve samples from beneath the Antarctic ice sheet to study life in extreme environments and decipher long-term climate change.