Professor Bill Collins
Professor
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
EditCareer Summary
Biography
Professor Bill Collins is the inaugural Director of the NSW Institute for Frontier Geoscience, housed in the NIER site at the University of Newcastle. He took up the position in 2011, following a 6-year term at James Cook University as a Professorial Research Leader in petrology/tectonics, and Director of the Economic Geology Research Unit (EGRU) in 2010. Beforehand, he lectured at the University of Newcastle from 1988. He was a visiting research fellow at Cambridge University, UK in 1995, at the CRPG in Nancy, France in 2001, and at the ANU, Canberra, in 1995. He received the Stillwell Medal in 2000, Clarke Medal in 2001, and the Carey Medal in 2008, from the Geological Society of Australia. He has given numerous invited and keynote addresses at major conferences around the world. He was Science Editor for GEOLOGY from 2010-2012.
Qualifications
- PhD, La Trobe University
- Bachelor of Science, Australian National University
Research
Research keywords
- Geodynamics
- Isotope Geochemistry
- Petrology
- Tectonics
Research expertise
My research career reflects near-continuous ARC funding for over 20 years, and follows an evolution from initially wanting to understand local and regional-scale geological features, to continent-scale, and ultimately to global scale. It also reflects a broadening of interests from early work on the petrology/geochemistry of granites to understanding the interplay between tectonics and magmatism in orogens, and ultimately how orogens interact to inform us on long-term, global-scale mantle convection systems.
The change of research emphasis and scale is shown by the gradual change of publication topics, which was initially on the nature and origin of A-types granites, but soon broadened to understand the cause and effect of granite generation, transfer and emplacement upon the geochemical, thermal and rheological nature of the continental crust. I have used the Australian continent (Archean, Proterozoic and Phanerozoic) as my laboratory because it is the only one that preserves a virtually unmodified history of continental growth. How the continent has grown, and how Australia has fitted into the global supercontinental cycles throughout Earth history, is the focus of current research.
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|
| 040300 | Geology | 100 |
Administrative
Administrative expertise
For almost twenty years, I have been Editor of several international journals, including Precambrian Research, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, and more recently as Science Editor for Geology. I was president of the Specialist Group for Mineralogy and Petrology, a subsidiary of The Geological Society of Australia, and am presently the Science Editor for the upcoming Australian Earth Science Convention (AESC) to be held in Newcastle, 2014. I was a Member of the Auscope Imaging Access Committee to oversee the organisation of the National Geotransects program (2007-2011). I am on the Implementation Committee of UNCOVER, which was formed under the aegis of the Australian Academy of Sciences (2011+) to instigate and promote a national strategic research plan for the Earth Sciences. Before returning to Newcastle as Director of the NSW IFG, I was Director of the Economic Geology Research Unit (EGRU) at James Cook University.
EditPublications
No publications.
EditGrants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 31 |
|---|
| Total funding | $2,493,510 |
|---|
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
- Indicates that the researcher may be seeking students for this project.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (1 grants)
New horizons in geochemical isotopic analysis with a new-generation multicollector plasma mass spectrometer: towards unravelling the deep Earth system$40,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor William Griffin, Associate Professor Norman Pearson, Professor Suzanne O'Reilly, Dr Elena Belousova, Professor Bill Collins, Professor Jonathon Aitchison, Professor Geoffrey Clarke, Dr Marco Fiorentini, Professor Zheng-Xiang Li, Associate Professor Nathan Daczko |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $40,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1200471 |
2012 (1 grants)
Supercells and the Supercontinent Cycle$250,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Dr Elena Belousova, Professor Brendon Murphy, Dr Martin Hand |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Discovery Projects | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $250,000 | 2012 | 2014 |
| GNo:G1100294 |
2011 (1 grants)
Events through time:eruptions, extinctions, impacts, ore-bodies and orogenies - upgrading the national argon geochronology network$10,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Professor Gordon Lister |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $10,000 | 2011 | 2011 |
| GNo:G1100692 |
2010 (1 grants)
The enigmatic link between crustal growth and supercontinent formation$160,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Dr Martin Hand, Professor Kent Condie |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Discovery Projects | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $160,000 | 2010 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1100603 |
2008 (1 grants)
Crustal Growth in the Northern Tasmanides$200,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Linkage project | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $200,000 | 2008 | 2011 |
| GNo:183834211 |
2005 (1 grants)
A test for Pangean breakup models$498,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Discovery Projects | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $498,000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| GNo:183834220 |
2004 (3 grants)
Driving forces of accretionary orogens$12,500
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $12,500 | 2004 | 2004 |
| GNo:G0183375 |
The origin of zinc-skarn ores and the character of their driving intrusions$7,600
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
IAVCEI General Assembly, 9-19 November 2004, Chile$2,400
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,400 | 2004 | 2004 |
| GNo:G0184835 |
2003 (3 grants)
Continental Growth in the Southwest Pacific.$12,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $12,000 | 2003 | 2003 |
| GNo:G0182392 |
Geological setting and environmental controls on economic skarn ore formation.$11,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
5th International Conference on granites and related rocks. Toyohashi Japan 2-11 September 2003$2,400
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,400 | 2003 | 2003 |
| GNo:G0183294 |
2002 (1 grants)
Electron Microscope/X-Ray Unit Equipment Upgrade$337,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
2001 (1 grants)
Generation of Granite near the base of the crust: A natural example.$11,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Assoc. Prof T Rushmer |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $11,000 | 2001 | 2001 |
| GNo:G0180115 |
2000 (3 grants)
Magmatic expression of orogens formed at retreating subduction boundaries: the cause of widespread silicic magmatism in some fold belts$180,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Large Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $180,000 | 2000 | 2002 |
| GNo:G0178539 |
The relation of lode-gold mineralisation to crustal evolution in the Archean Pilbara Craton.$8,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Conjoint Associate Professor Philip Seccombe |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $8,000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| GNo:G0178940 |
Jean Louis Vigneresse - 15 march 2000 - 15 July 2000$6,200
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Visitor Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $6,200 | 2000 | 2000 |
| GNo:G0179212 |
1999 (2 grants)
Feedback systems and self-organization in orogenic belts: testing the role of granite intrusion in localising crustal-scale deformation and vice versa$14,500
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Professor Ronald Vernon |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Small Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $14,500 | 1999 | 1999 |
| GNo:G0178112 |
4th Hutton Symposium on the Origin of Granites Clermont-Ferrand, France.$2,500
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,500 | 1999 | 1999 |
| GNo:G0179066 |
1997 (4 grants)
A 3-component mixing model for Lachlan Fold Belt granitoids.$286,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Assoc. Prof A Patino-Douce |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Large Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $286,000 | 1997 | 1999 |
| GNo:G0176208 |
THE RELATIONSHIP OF LODE-GOLD MINERALISATION TO REGIONAL TECTONOTHERMAL EVENTS IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE ARCHAEAN PILBARA CRATON AUSTRALIA$124,500
Funding Body: National Breast Cancer Foundation
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Research Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $124,500 | 1997 | 1999 |
| GNo:G0177723 |
The relationship of lode-gold mineralisation to regional tectonothermal events in the evolution of the Archaean Pilbara Craton, Australia.$100,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins, Dr Martin Van Kranendonk, Conjoint Associate Professor Philip Seccombe, Dr D Huston |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Strategic Partnerships with Industry - Research & Training Scheme (SPIRT) | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $100,000 | 1997 | 1999 |
| GNo:G0176382 |
Origin of Archaen granitoids: Implications for early continental evolution.$58,928
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Multi-Year Small Grant Scholarship | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $58,928 | 1997 | 2000 |
| GNo:G0176744 |
1996 (2 grants)
Crust-mantle interaction in granitoids.$16,500
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Small Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $16,500 | 1996 | 1996 |
| GNo:G0175667 |
Timing and relative significance of extensional versus contractional tectonics in the Archaean Pilbara Craton, NW Australia.$13,500
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Dr Martin Van Kranendonk, Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Small Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $13,500 | 1996 | 1996 |
| GNo:G0175666 |
1995 (2 grants)
The role of thrusting versus diapirism in the formation of ancient continental crus (3.5-2.7 Ga) in the eastern part of the Archaean Pilbara Craton, W.A. Aus$10,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Dr Martin Van Kranendonk, Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $10,000 | 1995 | 1995 |
| GNo:G0174870 |
Rb-Sr ages from granites of the Lachlan Fold Belt: intrusion or deformation ages?$4,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Small Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $4,000 | 1995 | 1995 |
| GNo:G0174868 |
1994 (2 grants)
The granite-mafic dyke connection and the origin of continental crust$18,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Small Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $18,000 | 1994 | 1994 |
| GNo:G0174799 |
Visit by Dr Takashi Nakajima, March 94 - Feb 95 (52 Weeks).$5,227
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Visitor Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $5,227 | 1994 | 1994 |
| GNo:G0174679 |
1993 (1 grants)
Granites in the Evolution of Earth's Crust$28,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Large Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $28,000 | 1993 | 1995 |
| GNo:G0176359 |
1991 (1 grants)
Contrasting P-t-t Histories In The Tia Complex, Southern New England Fold Belt$63,755
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Bill Collins |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Large Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $63,755 | 1991 | 1992 |
| GNo:G0173822 |
EditResearch Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 2 |
|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 0.9 |
|---|
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Proposed
Completion | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Geology) | Principal Supervisor | Supercells and Supercontinents: The Siberian Conundrum |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Geology) | Co-Supervisor | Controls on the Geochemical Evolution of Granitoids in Orogenic Belts |
Past Supervision
| Year | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|
| 2009 | PhD (Geology) | Co-Supervisor | Insights Into the Origin of Lachlan Fold Belt Granites: Integrating Physical Characteristics With Isotopic Indicators |
| 2005 | PhD (Geology) | Sole Supervisor | Extension-dominated cyclic orogenesis in the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt (LFB) |
| 2004 | PhD (Geology) | Sole Supervisor | Pre-, syn- and post-doming granite emplacement in the East Pilbara Granite- Greenstone Terrane, Western Australia: Implications for the structural evolution of the craton |
| 2003 | PhD (Geology) | Principal Supervisor | Gold Depositional Events and their Relation to the Tectonic Evolution of the Pilbara Craton, Australia |
