16 Facts About Jane Francis

Jane Francis previously worked as Professor of Palaeoclimatology at the University of Leeds where she was Dean of the Faculty of Environment.

Jane Francis is currently the Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

Jane Francis continued on as a NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bedford College, London, until 1984.

Jane Francis was appointed to a position as Palaeobotanist at the British Antarctic Survey, from 1984 to 1986.

For five years Jane Francis was a Postdoctoral Research Associate with Larry Frakes at the University of Adelaide.

Jane Francis was promoted to Professor of Palaeoclimatology in the School of Earth and Environment and was the Director for the Centre for Polar Science at the University of Leeds, before becoming Dean of the Faculty of Environment in 2008.

Jane Francis is an Honorary Professor at the University of Leeds.

On 1 October 2013 Jane Francis took up her post as Director of the British Antarctic Survey, becoming the first woman Director of the institution.

Jane Francis's research has emphasised the "Antarctic paradox," that although the Antarctic is largely inhospitable now, its abundant plant fossils indicate a drastically warmer past climate.

Jane Francis has undertaken more than 16 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

Jane Francis holds a number of memberships of national and international scientific bodies.

Jane Francis is a member of the UK Natural Environment Research Council Executive Board; member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat; Executive committee member of the European Polar Board; and UK Delegate to the international Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.

Jane Francis received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Leeds in 2014, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Environmental Science from the University of Plymouth, in 2014.

Jane Francis has been awarded the Coke Medal from the Geological Society of London ; the President's Award of the Paleontological Society; the Antarctic Service Medal from the US National Science Foundation; and the Workplace Achievement Award from the BBC's 'eve' magazine, sponsored by Nivea.

In 2017, Jane Francis became the seventh Chancellor of the University of Leeds, succeeding Melvyn Bragg.

Jane Francis was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2021.