David Alan Spears

Education/Career

I grew up in Stockton-on-Tees, in North East England, on the edge of the Durham Coalfield and within sight of the ironstone workings of the Cleveland Main Seam on the Cleveland Hills (window gazing at school!). Teesside at that time was a major steelmaking area employing most of the working population, including my family. It is therefore not surprising that I grew up with an interest in geology and its applications. Grangefield Grammar School was the site of my occasional window gazing during the period 1949-56. In the sixth form I became aware that higher education was a possibility as opposed to industry and I went to the University of Sheffield to study geology. After graduation in 1959 I remained in Sheffield as a research student, obtaining a Ph.D. in 1963, and was then appointed as a staff member, eventually becoming Sorby Professor of Geology (1989-1999).