The East Midlands Geological Society offers a programme of lectures on a diverse range of geological and related topics. Delivered by experienced and engaging speakers, these talks are pitched to appeal to both professional and amateur enthusiasts alike. Our annual programme is designed to cover a range of interests from local East Midlands geology, landscape and heritage through to the latest developments of international significance in geological science.

Our lectures are usually held on the second Saturday evening of each month from October to April, but please check our listings below for specific information about each lecture. NOTE that our first lecture this autumn season will be on Saturday 31 October 2026. Non-members are welcome at all of our lectures and attendance is free of charge. There is normally no need to register in advance, unless stated specifically for any individual events below.

​Unless stated otherwise, EMGS Lectures are normally held in the School of Geography Sir Clive Granger Building on the Nottingham University Park campus, see Lecture Venue below for directions. All lectures in the 2026/7 season will commence at the slightly later time of 6-15pm to take advantage of cheaper car parking in the University Visitors car park.

EMGS lectures 2026-27 season

Saturday, 31st October 2026 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Dr Colin Baker   
Topic: Polygons, palsas and pingos in the periglacial landscape of the East Midlands
Download pdf flyer
Saturday, 14th November 2026 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Professor Joe Cartwright  
Topic: From the bog to the sea: the Mull Dyke Swarm
Download pdf flyer
Saturday, 12th December 2026 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Dr Karen Hanghøj   
Topic: To be advised
Download pdf flyer (coming soon)
Saturday, 9th January 2027 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Dr Tony Waltham
Topic: To be advised
Download pdf flyer (coming soon)
​​Saturday, 13th February 2027 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Dr Mike Ashton  
Topic: Lincoln Cathedral and its building stones
​Download pdf flyer (coming soon)
Saturday, 13th March 2027 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Mark Barron  
Topic: Carrara Marble
Download pdf flyer (coming soon)
Saturday, 10th April 2027 - 6.15pm
Speaker:  Professor Paul Nathanail
Topic: The Iceland Hot Spot
Download pdf flyer (coming soon)

Our next lecture

Saturday, 31st October 2026 - 6.15pm
Speaker: Dr Colin Baker   
Polygons, palsas and pingos in the periglacial landscape of the East Midlands
Download pdf flyer
Picture
​Did the Vale of Belvoir once look like this? Tundra polygons and Pingos in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Alaska.
​Image credit: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
Abstract:  The periglacial landscape is a palimpsest of repeated episodes resulting in a fragmented and incomplete geological record. Like an old overprinted writing surface, earlier inscriptions might be partially erased but can still, with care, be deciphered. Having been almost encircled by Late Devensian ice, the Lower Trent valley felt the full impact of intense and prolonged permafrost during the Last Glacial Maximum (MIS 2, 29 ka - 15 ka). Yet, for a long while, available evidence was sporadic and elusive until summer 2018, when new Google Earth imagery of cropmarks revealed extensive patterned ground still surviving within the subsoil. These take the form of relict unsorted tundra polygons resulting from former thermal contraction mainly across thermokarstic river terraces but also over some bedrock surfaces. Conventionally, these striking features are believed to be diagnostic of ice-rich continuous permafrost with rapid repeated winter cooling to temperatures as low or lower than -20°C over periods of thousands of years. More controversially, in a few cropmark locations, there appear to be signs of collapsed ground ice mounds. Researchers are inclined to refer to these cautiously, without genetic presupposition, as PRDs (periglacial ramparted depressions), but they could be interpreted as relict pingos, typical of continuous permafrost, or lithalsas (aka palsas), characteristic of discontinuous permafrost. Hence, I will try to justify my alliterative title. ​

Lecture Venue

EMGS Lectures are held at the School of Geography Sir Clive Granger Building on the Nottingham University Park campus, starting at the new later time of 6.15pm. 
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If travelling by car, please park in the Main University Visitors Car Park (Postcode NG7 2RX Google Maps) – Please note that payment is now required for car parking on Saturday evenings, please refer to the parking notices and payment machines on site for details. A parking ticket costs £2.00 after 6.00pm, if you buy a ticket before 6.00pm it will expire and you will need to buy another one. Payment is by card at the ticket machine or by the RingGo app. 

​The Sir Clive Granger Building is on the left as you enter the car park, and accessible via a gentle ramp to the rear door of the building.  

The Society is indebted to the School of Geography at the University, who are sponsoring our lectures, for the use of these facilities.

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Previous Lecture Seasons
Select the links below to download abstracts for previous years or conferences.
EMGS Evening Lecture Series 2025-6
EMGS Evening Lecture Series 2024-5
EMGS 60th Anniversary Conference 12 October 2024
EMGS Evening Lecture Series 2023-4