G. E. Fogg Building

  

Peter Landin Building                                                                                  G.O. Jones Building

The G.E. Fogg building is named after Professor Gordon Elliott Fogg who is an esteemed researcher specializing in algology and freshwater biology. He was born on 26 April 1919 and died on 30 January 2005, at the age of 85. He is renowned for making a significant contribution to marine biology as well as polar science. 

Fogg first went to Dulwich College for his education followed by Queen Mary College. Then, he met renowned algologist F.E. Fritsch and received an education from him. At the start of the World War II, he was evacuated to Cambridge and at St John’s College, he met E.G. Pringsheim - another esteemed expert in algology. Both of these experts assisted Fogg in his inspiration to study algae for his lifetime. This initially started off with Fogg’s assignment participating in a wartime seaweed survey as an alternative to military service due to his refusal in as a result of moral and ethical objections. 

When the war had ended, Fogg received an appointment to join the faculty at University College, London. His Head of Department was W.H. Pearsall – a renowned ecologist. Both Fogg and Pearsall shared interests in botanical physiology, limnology, and plant ecological studies. 

From Fogg’s research into nitrogen fixation by blue-green algae to his work on the release of photosynthetic products by algae into freshwater environments, he quickly acquired expertise in algal cultures. Fogg was considered a world expert in algal physiology. 

He enjoyed writing scientifically and went on to release his first book in 1953 entitled ‘The metabolism of algae’. Fogg also produced many watercolour paintings of algae. 

At Westfield College in 1960, Fogg was appointed professor of botany and contributed to the significant research of the school which eventually led to multiple students to progress in their career to higher positions across the world. In 1965, Fogg was elected ‘Fellow of the Royal Society’ and from Westfield he first visited the Antarctic. His visit occurred at a time when the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) aimed to widen their research and knowledge and they would often provide senior academic with the opportunity to go for a summer. Whilst visiting the Antarctic, they would conduct research and establish projects that would eventually be conducted by supervised research students. 

Fogg's expedition to Signy Island during January–February 1966 resulted in publications on snow algae and the physiology of freshwater algae in the Antarctic. This visit marked the beginning of his long-term engagement in polar science, including serving as the chairman of the BAS Scientific Advisory Committee for several years. 

Fogg also took on many roles and opportunities throughout his lifetime, including: 

• Professor and Head of the Department of Marine Biology in the University College of North Wales at Bangor in 1971 
• Visited the Antarctic again both in 1974 and 1979 
• Created a major volume on The history of Antarctic science in 1992 
• Another major publication was The biology of polar habits in 1998 dedicated to his wife who had died a year earlier 

• Other publication was an analysis of the contributions of the Royal Society of Antarctic science and exploration 
• Trustee of the British Museum (Natural History) from 1976 to 1985 
• Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, between 1983 and 1989. 
• A member of the Natural Environment Research Council in 1981–82 
• Served on the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution between 1979 and 1985. 

• Held office in a number of scientific societies 
• President of the British Phycological Society in 1961–62, of the International Phycological Society in 1964, and of the Institute of Biology in 1976–77. 
• Represented the Royal Society on the Freshwater Biological Association’s council until his death 

For the extensive research and work that he had conducted, he was appointed as a CBE in 1983 and he was also celebrated through the name of the Fogg Highland which is a frozen plateau along the Black Coast of Palmer Land. 

Fogg continued to be an esteemed contributor in scientific meetings and discussions until the end of his 85 years. In his retirement, Fogg completed multiple literary undertakings such as revising Algal cultures and phytoplankton ecology alongside Brenda Thake who was one of his latter educational appointments. They continued to have a close friendship and eventually, established the Fogg Lecture at Queen Mary, University of London. After undergoing renovation, the Biological Sciences Building at Queen Mary, University of London was named in commemoration of Professor Gordon Elliott Fogg.  

 

_{Sources Used:} 

_{Holdgate, M. (2005) ‘Obituary’, Polar Record, 41(4), pp. 375–376. doi:10.1017/s0032247405004808.}  

_{Walsby, A.E. (2006) ‘Gordon Elliott Fogg CBE. 26 April 1919 — 30 January 2005’, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 52, pp. 97–116. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2006.0008}.