Steve Staley

Steve is a founder member and Deputy Leader of the ARG. Steve works as a geologist and geophysicist and, more recently, Steve also serves as a director of several publicly quoted and private companies. Steve is more commonly known to ARG members as Stat – the origins of which are best left to expedition members.

Stat’s first Arctic trip was in 1983 when he worked alongside Ian Frearson on a glacial survey since when Stat has been on four further expeditions with the ARG in Svalbard, working on both the local geology and conducting gravimetric surveys over glaciers to help determine ice depth and bedrock profiles.

Stat led the 2019 expedition which focussed on a Terrestrial Geology project continuing the investigation of the worlds’ most Northerly known warm springs, which was a part of the University of Svalbard (UNIS) research programme.

Stat took on the role of Group Leader in 2020 as Ian Frearson secured the succession plan for the Arctic Research Group to continue. Stat has overseen the planning and successful completion of the 2023 expedition to Recherchefjord, led by Chris Searston.