HONOURS

Since 2024: Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2023: Corresponding Member of the Royal Canarian Academy of Sciences (RAC Ciencias) for outstanding contributions to the understanding of the Geology of the Canary Islands and scientific efforts during the La Palma volcanic crisis. 

ULPGC Discurso de ingreso del Académico Correspondiente electo Dr. D. Valentín R. Troll (Universidad de Upsala) en la Real Academia Canarias de Ciencias. 

2023: "Magellan Gold Winner" for Seabourn Conversations Program (Contributor).

2023: "Top Downloaded Article" Award from Geology Today (Wiley Academic Press) for "The 2021 eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcanic redge on La Palma, Gran Canaria".

2022: "Top Downloaded Article" Award from Geology Today (Wiley Academic Press) for "A message from the 'underground forge of the gods': history and current eruptions at Mt Etna".

Since 2022: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in recognition of contributions to societal improvement in light of natural disasters.

Since 2018: Associate Editor for Journal of Petrology, Oxford University Press, UK. academic.oup.com

2018: "Top 100 Read Articles 2018" Award by Scientific Reports (Springer - Nature).

Since 2014: Senior Editorial Advisor for Springer Publishing Group in subject "Geochemistry". www.springer.com

Since 2012: Invited Research Associate at 'Grupo Investigación Geología de Terrenos Volcánicos' GEOVOL, University of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.  https://geovol.ulpgc.es

Since 2008: Invited Research Associate of the 'Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia' INGV, Rome, Italy.

Since 2009: Elected Fellow of the Geological Society of London (FGS).

Since 2008: Elected Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of the UK & Ireland (FMinSoc).

Since 2007: Elected Fellow of Trinity College (FTCD) for "higher academics achievement", which gives me free accommodation and board in Trinity College for lifetime and Emeritus status after retirement.

Since 2003: Royal Society Fellowship to work at the University of Durham, UK.

2017: Koesmono Award and Ceremonial Guest Lecture at Padjadjaran University (UNPAD) Bandung, Faculty of Geological Engineering,Indonesia. UNPAD News | CNDS News | Summary [PDF]

2017: Departmental Medal  of the Deptartment for Engineering Geology, Gadja Mata University (UGM) in recognition of contributions to the education at UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

2011 - 2016: Steering Committee member for European Science Foundation (ESF) network MeMoVolc.

2011: VMSG Award by the Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group (VMSG), United Kingdom, for "significant contribution to our understanding of magmatic processes over the last few years".

VMSG Newsletter No 13 [PDF] | VMSG Newsletter No 14 [PDF]

2010 - 2012: Elected co-chair for working group No.6 (WG6 - Analytical and Experimental Laboratories) of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS).

2010 - 2016: Elected member of the Steering Board of the Department of Geosciences at Uppsala University. Initially 2010 - 2013; Re-elected 2013-2016.

2008: Honorary Master (M.A.) from Trinity College Dublin for service.

2007: Accelerated promotion to Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin (skipping the rank of "Senior Lecturer").

2007: "Most Cited Paper Award" from Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, ELSEVIER, for the period 2003-2007 for Walter & Troll, 2003.

2005 & 2006: Two Accelerated Promotions at Trinity College Dublin (2 additional increments on the lecturer pay scale) on the grounds of "exceptionally distinguished performance in research, teaching, contribution to discipline and contribution to College".

2006: I received the degree of "Habilitation à diriger des Recherches" (HDR) from University Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, which is the essential qualification in continental Europe (France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden etc.) for eligibility to a full professorship. It is the highest academic degree in France and is awarded for a substantial body of high quality research summarised in a thesis (22 papers in Trolls case). It also requires documentation of teaching ability and that of leadership skills to direct a research group.

2005 - 2010: Invited Erasmus Professor (professeur invité) at the 'Laboratoire de Magmas et Volcans', Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand, France, to carry out undergraduate teaching and joint supervision of MSc and PhD students.

2005 - 2008: Elected committee member of the 'Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group' of the Mineralogical Society of UK and Ireland (three year term).

PRE-PHD DISTINCTIONS

Nov 2001: PhD thesis was awarded the grade 'with distinction'.

2001: Geoff Brown Prize for best student poster at the annual meeting of the Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group in Durham, UK.

Nov 1998: Fellowship from German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Vokes) to carry out PhD research.

Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes is Germany’s oldest and largest organisation that sponsors outstanding students in the Federal Republic of Germany. The fellowship is awarded to first class students only and involved a peer-reviewed proposal, and two independent interviews. It is the most prestigious postgraduate award in Germany (top 0.5% of German PhD students).

Jun 1998: Final Year Class Medal of St Andrews Geoscience class (35 students).

Jun 1998: My BSc (Hons) thesis was awarded the de Courcy Duggan Prize for the most innovative BSc research project at St Andrews University that year.

Jun 1997: Mineralogical Society Student Award for excellence in igneous petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry at St Andrews University, Scotland, UK.