Steve Hirons 
School of Earth Sciences
Birkbeck College
University of London
Malet St
London WC1E 7HX
Tel 020 7679 2385
Fax 020 7679 2867
email: s.hirons@ucl.ac.uk
Teaching
I teach the first year course Foundations of Mineralogy which gives an excellent introduction to various aspects of mineralogy such as crystallography, mineral systems, to mineral identification using a microscope
I also enjoy teaching metamorphic geology and petrology to our second year students as part of the Igneous and Metamorphic petrology course unit.
I also teach selected lectures on the MRes course that cover analytical techniques applied to the identification of rocks including X-Ray Diffraction and Analytical and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Furthermore, transferable skills are taught through learning graphics packages to produce posters and enhance presentation skills.
Our course material is available on CD ROM and is accessible for distance learners as well as face-to-face students. I have been instrumental in driving this distance learning initiative and have been recognised with various teaching awards.
Research interests
I am interested in the low temperature metamorphism of mudrocks and have been using illite crystallinity to categorise the low temperature metamorphism either side of the Iapetus Suture of the UK. I am currently working in the Longford-Down terrane of Northern Ireland.
External work and consultancy
The X-ray diffraction laboratory is equipped with a Philips PW 1710 pwder diffractometer and PC-APD computer software. Use of the X-ray diffractometer is available for external consultants and institutions at competitive prices.
Conference Presentations
Invited talks given at the following venues;
HIRONS, S.R. From Mud-Wrestling to Metamorphism. UCL Greenough Society, February 2004.
HIRONS, S.R. Reaction Progress and development of clay microfabrics in metapelitic rocks of the English Lake District. Timing, Transition and Tectonics. Derby, January 2002.
HIRONS, S.R., Fortey, N.J., and Roberts, B. Low and very low-grade metamorphism in the English Lake District: An analysis and synthesis. From Magmas to Mud (and back). Reading, December 1999.
HIRONS, S.R. X-Ray diffraction and analytical transmission electron microscopy used as complementary analytical techniques in a geological context. Geotechniques conference and trade exhibition, Luton,July 1998.
Workshop Presentations
NOV 2002 BIRKBECK COLLEGE. Innovations in e-learning, November 2002
Research Grants
HIRONS, S.R. Metamorphic Survey of Longford-Down terrane, Northern Ireland.April 2003 to March 2006. British Geological Survey Grant.
HIRONS, S.R. Metamorphic Survey of 1:50,000 sheets 210 (Fishguard) and 211
(Newcastle Emlyn). July 2001. British Geological Survey Grant.
HIRONS, S.R. Metamorphic Survey of 1:50,000 sheets 193 (Cardigan) and 194 (Llangranog). British Geological Survey Grant.
HIRONS, S.R. A metamorphic map for the Windermere Supergroup, Kirkby Lonsdale District (E&W Sheet 49), Lake District. 1998.
British Geological Survey Grant.
Teaching Awards
2005. HEFCE eLearning Capital Allocations to HEI’s . To develop an Interactive Digital Practical Workbook to support distance learners.
2005. Birkbeck Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund. To develop video footage of fieldwork for CD-Rom based virtual learning environment.
2004. Birkbeck Award for Innovative Teaching – BAIT award.
Publications
Merriman, R.J., Kemp, S.J. and HIRONS, S.R.2002. Metamorphism of the Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Lochmaben district, southern Scotland, 1:50,000 Sheet 10W. British Geological Survey Technical Report IR/01/125
HIRONS, S.R.and Roberts, B. 1999. Metamorphic survey of 1:50,000 Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale geological sheets 39 and 49. British Geological Survey Technical Report GA/96E/16 and GA/97E/9.
HIRONS, S.R.,Roberts, B. and Merriman, R.J. 1997. Metamorphism of the Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Carrick-Loch Doon region, southern Scotland. British Geological Survey Technical Report WG/97/25.
Merriman, R.J., Roberts, B. and HIRONS, S.R..1997. Metamorphism of Lower Palaeozoic strata of the Kirkcowan and Wigtown districts (Sheet 4), SW Scotland. British Geological Survey Technical Report WG/97/4.
Smellie, J.L., Roberts, B. and HIRONS, S.R.. 1996. Very low- and low-grade metamorphism in the Trinity Peninsula Group (Permo-Triassic) of northern Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula. Geological Magazine, 133 (5) 583-594.
Roberts, B., Merriman, R.J., HIRONS, S.R.., Fletcher, C.J.N. and Wilson, D. 1996. Synchronous very low-grade metamorphism, contraction and inversion in the central part of the Welsh lower Palaeozoic basin. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 153 (2), 277-285.
Merriman, R.J., Roberts, B., Peacor, D.R. and HIRONS, S.R.1995. Strain-related differences in the crystal growth of white mica and chlorite; a TEM and XRD study of the development of metapelitic microfabrics in the Southern Uplands thrust terrane, Scotland. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 13 (5), 559-576.
Fortey, N.J., Roberts, B. and HIRONS, S.R.1993. Geological Relationship between metamorphism and structure in the Skiddaw Group, English Lake District. Geological Magazine, 130 (5), 631-638.
Roberts, B., Morrison, C. and HIRONS, S.R.1990. Low grade metamorphism of the Manx Group, Isle of Man; a comparative study of white mica "crystallinity" techniques. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 147 (2), 271-277.
Publications - Contributing Author: Memoirs
British Geological Survey 2004. The Skiddaw Group of the English Lake District. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological map Sheets 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 48.
British Geological Survey 2002. Geology of the New Galloway and Thornhill district. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological map Sheets 9W and 9E.
British Geological Survey 2001. Geology of the Ulverston district. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological map Sheet 48.
British Geological Survey 2000. Geology of the Ambleside district. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological map Sheet 38.
British Geological Survey 2000. Geology of the Kirkcudbright - Dalbeattie district. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological map Sheets 5W, 5E and part of 6W
British Geological Survey. 1997. Geology of the country around Llanilar and Rhayader. Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological maps 1:50,000.
Publications - Contributing Author: Maps
British Geological Survey 2003. Cardigan and Dinas Island Sheet 193 Geological map 1:50,000.
British Geological Survey 1997. Ulverston. Geological map 1:50,000.
British Geological Survey 1997. New Galloway Scotland. Geological map 1:50,000.
British Geological Survey 1996. Thornhill. Scotland. Geological map 1:50,000.
British Geological Survey 1994. Llanilar. Sheet 178. Geological map 1:50,000.