This lecture has been presented each year since 1981 and is one of the principal events in the British Geophysical Association calendar. The Bullerwell lecture, named after the first Chief Geophysicist of the British Geological Survey, is a prestigious event that has been given by many of those UK geophysicists (see below) who are major international Earth Scientists, receiving honours from a wide range of learned societies, academic and governmental institutions. This years recipient is Dr. Tom Mitchell of UCL.