Ian Speden

MSc Otago PhD Yale FRSNZ

Ian Speden had a distinguished career as a geologist, palaeontologist, and science administrator.

Ian came from a Southland family, based around Gore, with an outdoors tradition. His grandfather, James Speden, specialised in collecting and cultivating alpine plants, and a number of species are named after him. His father, Gordon Speden, travelled and explored in mountainous parts of Fiordland,  Ian had his first major tramping trip down the Hollyford valley aged 11, and later worked there as a guide for the legendary Davey Gunn. It was not surprising that he decided to major in botany and geology when he started at Otago university. He had to make a choice between the two subjects when he signed up for a Masters degree, and opted for geology. One of the degree requirements was a research thesis, and in geology this usually meant mapping a hitherto unknown area. He was directed to the Catlins on the Otago coast where there were known to be fossils among the spectacular coastal exposures. In January 1955 he travelled from his home town of Gore to Balclutha by train, then biked 30km to Owaka with a heavy pack and then over the hill to the Catlins estuary where he camped. It was the start of a very successful field research project, and he always remembered the people and rocks of the Catlins with affection. 

While he was at university Ian Speden met nurse Erica Tarlton. They married in 1957 and had two children - Anne and Graeme.

Graduating MSc with first class honours, Ian was offered a job with the New Zealand Geological Survey, a branch of DSIR, and started work in their Invercargill office/ He quickly made his mark, completing a geological reconnaissance of a large area in eastern Southland. In 1961 he was awarded a DSIR postgraduate scholarship for overseas study, and decided to undertake a PhD at Yale University. This was a radical departure in the days when England was still regarded as “Home” and Cambridge was the natural destination for advanced study. Yale had a strong influence on his scientific interests as well as instilling north American attitudes of critical questioning and direct speaking.

On return to New Zealand Ian undertook research on the Cretaceous period (145-55 million years ago), a time of major tectonic change that has long been difficult to understand. Over the next fifteen years he investigated the complex sedimentary sequences and fossils in the Raukumara Peninsula, Wairarapa and Marlborough, His approach of careful field mapping, detailed palaeontology and associated specialist investigations led to a series of publications and maps. For much of this period Ian worked in conjunction with university colleagues, mentoring a group of younger geoscientists. His work was recognised by the award of the Geological Society of New Zealand’s McKay Hammer in 1975-76 and election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1980.

Ian’s first move to management came when he was elected president of the Geological Society of New  Zealand in 1973. He was an activist president, and there was a marked expansion of the Society’s activities including publicity about the value of geoscience to society. He was supportive of a move by his colleague Graeme Stevens to publish the first two guidebooks to local geology, but others felt that the society could not afford the cost. Ian solved the problem by successfully obtaining commercial sponsorship. This was a model followed subsequently as the Society has successfully published a range of guidebooks covering most parts of New Zealand.

As the years passed Ian became interested in the wider implications of his geological studies, especially as applied to land development and erosion. He contributed extensively to the DSIR Discussion Paper, “Land Alone Endures”, a forerunner of the Resource Management Act, and co-convened the preparation of a major resource volume, “Natural Hazards of New Zealand”.

Ian Speden was appointed Director of the New Zealand Geological Survey, a branch of the DSIR, in 1984. Nowadays his title would be CEO. His management style has been described as “vigorous and enthusiastic”. He was bubbling with ideas, but unfortunately his management career coincided with the beginning of the Rogernomics era – a time of continuing reorganisation of the public service, with demands for increasing non-government funding revenue and funding cuts. Bold intentions became a struggle to hold the organisation together and retain staff, but under his leadership the Geological Survey more than doubled its commercial revenue. There were also scientific challenges, including debates about depletion of Maui gas reserves, the impact of the devastating Edgecumbe earthquake, and delays in completing the Clyde Dam. 

The Geological Survey was New Zealand’s oldest scientific organisation, and Ian was proud to be in charge at its 125th anniversary in 1990. But it was a bittersweet celebration as it came just before the first of several major changes when the Geological Survey and Geophysics Division were combined to form DSIR Geology & Geophysics. He was appointed to lead the new organisation, but had hardly started when there was a change of government and the setting up of Crown Research Institutes was announced, This led to the creation of GNS Science. He did not apply for the CEO position, but elected to assist in setting up the new organization in the management team.

He officially retired in 1994, but continued at GNS for the next decade at GNS as an honorary research associate. He was valued for his organisational memory and extensive contacts, but it was also a chance to complete some of his Cretaceous work. In particular he was involved in a project to produce a new geological map of the Raukumara peninsula, incorporating work he had done over the previous thirty years. 

Ian Speden enjoyed working co-operatively, and throughout his career he served on numerous national and international scientific groups. In particular he had a long association with the Ross Dependency Research Committee, the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand, and the International Union of Geological Sciences (where he served two terms as Vice President). In 2001 he was awarded the Marsden medal by the New Zealand Association of Scientists for a lifetime contribution of outstanding service to the scientific community.

He always preferred working collaboratively rather than as an isolated scientist, and many of his 110 publications are jointly authored with others. He was always interested in people, and as Director he made a point of wandering around and talking to staff about their work. As a mentor he encouraged younger scientists and technicians. He was one of the last of a generation of managers who knew not only his staff, but also their spouses and families. 

After he retired from scientific work, Ian and Erica Speden were active members of the Lower Hutt Probus Club and the international group Friendship Force. 

Written by Simon Nathan. Photo: Earth Sciences New Zealand