Jane Francis

Director of the British Antarctic Survey, Dame Jane Francis is a pioneering scientist whose study of fossil plants and their use as tools for climate interpretation is recognised internationally. Jane read Geology and completed a PhD at the University of Southampton. From 1979-1982, she continued her studies as a NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bedford College, London before taking up a position as a palaeobotanist at the British Antarctic Survey from 1984 to 1986. She worked at the University of Leeds from 1991-2013, the last five as Dean of the Faculty of Environment. Among her many awards, Jane was the recipient of the Polar Medal in 2002 - which has also been awarded to Captain Robert Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton. In 2017, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) for services to polar science and diplomacy.