The Lyell Centre


(British Geological Survey HQ in Scotland)

A research centre within the campus of Heriot-Watt University at Riccarton on the southwestern edge of the City of Edinburgh, the Lyell Centre was opened on 18th October 2016 by John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister. It serves as the Scottish headquarters for the British Geological Survey (BGS), as well as a research centre for geological, petroleum and marine sciences, incorporating staff from the University's Schools of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure & Society and Life Sciences. Named in honour of the noted Scottish geologist Sir Charles Lyell (1797 - 1875), it replaced the former BGS headquarters at Murchison House on the University of Edinburgh's King's Buildings campus. The £17-million development includes offices and laboratories, and incorporates BGS facilities for earth hazards, energy, geophysics, groundwater and marine geoscience, together with a 50,000 litre climate change research aquarium. The BGS Global Seismology Unit is based here, studying international earthquake activity and acting as a centre for research on British earthquakes. The Lyell Centre is also home to the Shell Centre for Exploration Geoscience. The building was funded by BGS, Heriot-Watt University, the Natural Environment Research Council and Scottish Funding Council.


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