Plymouth University's Professor Iain Stewart made president of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society

He took over the role at the annual general meeting of the society on Thursday 9 February, from The Earl of Lindsay who had been in post since 2005.

Professor of Geoscience Communication in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Iain’s research interests include natural disasters, with a particular focus on past major earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions in the Mediterranean regions. He has also appeared on Horizon as an expert and hosted a number of his own TV series.

He said: “I am delighted to accept the position as president of the RSGS. I look forward to helping to continually develop upon the society’s aims to promote an understanding of the natural environment and human societies. Knowledge of geography is essential if we are to understand our place in the world, and find solutions to global problems.”

For his current series How to Grow a Planet, which began on BBC Two this week, Iain takes audiences on a journey going back 400 million years in Earth's history to discover how plants have shaped the face of our planet. As part of the show he spent two days sealed in an airtight chamber with over 150 plants breathing in oxygen produced solely by plants.