Germaine Joplin

Germaine Anne Joplin (1903^[1] – 18 July 1989)^[2] was an Australian geologist, winner of the Clarke Medal in 1963.

Joplin initially trained as a nurse on leaving school, but at 23^[2] commenced studies at Sydney University, graduating B.Sc. with the University Medal in 1930. She then studied petrology at the University of Cambridge with Cecil Edgar Tilley. Joplin attained her Ph.D. in 1936.^[1]

In 1952 Joplin commenced a permanent research position as a Fellow in the recently established Department of Geophysics at the Australian National University working with John Jaeger and John Richards.^[1]

Joplin's principal works were three critical compilations of analytical data on Australian rocks, commenced during her short time with the Bureau of Mineral Resources and published in their Bulletin series, plus two petrology monographs and a book for high school readers. A Petrology of Australian Igneous Rocks (1964; 2nd Ed. 1968; 3rd Ed. 1971) was also published in New York and later A Petrology of Australian Metamorphic Rocks (Sydney, 1968) was published. Finding the Age of Rocks (Sydney, 1972) was written in collaboration with John Richards and Christine Joplin.^[2]

In 1986 Joplin was awarded the W. R. Browne Medal by the Geological Society of Australia 'for distinguished contributions to the Geological Sciences of Australia'. Also in 1986, became a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM).^[2]

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