Introduction
Peter John Barrett NZAM (born 11 August 1940) is a New Zealand geologist who came to prominence after discovering the first tetrapod fossils in Antarctica in 1967.
Barrett first went to the Antarctica with the University of Wisconsin in 1962, but it was during his PhD with the Institute of Polar Studies at Ohio State University in 1966 and 1968 that Barrett discovered theearly Triassic period tetrapod remains. After finishing his PhD, he took up a postdoctoral fellowship at Victoria University of Wellington to run an Antarctic expedition. Recent research has been core sampling in the Antarctic to determine historical conditions.
He is currentlyprofessor in the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington and was director of the ARC from its founding in 1972 until 2007. One of his PhD students was Nancy Bertler. For many years he was the New Zealand representative onScientific Committee on Antarctic Research.
Awards and honours
In 2004, Barrett received the Marsden Medal for his lifetime contributions to science in New Zealand. In 2006 he received the SCAR President's Medal for outstanding achievement in Antarctic science. In the 2010 New Year Honours, Barrett was awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Medal for services to Antarctic science. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society in 2011.