John R. Underhill

John R. Underhill (born 5 January 1961) is Professor of Stratigraphy in the Grant Institute of Geology in the School of Geosciences at The University of Edinburgh, Scotland and Associate Professor in the Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University. He was a well-respected football referee in the Scottish Premier League until mandatory age retiral in 2008 and was on the FIFA panel of referees.

He gained his first degree in geology at Bristol University in 1982. He was awarded a PhD from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1985; the subject of his thesis being 'Neogene and Quaternary Tectonics and Sedimentation in Western Greece'. He worked for Shell in The Hague and London as an exploration geoscientist. He was appointed as lecturer in the Grant Institute of Geology (as it was then) in 1989 before becoming Professor of Stratigraphy in 1998. His main area of geological research is understanding how the Sedimentary Basins form and evolve through the use of seismic interpretation methods. One area of his interdisciplinary geo-research that has received recent acclaim has been an assessment of the geological, geomorphological and geophysical evidence for relocating Odysseus' Homeland, Ancient Ithaca. Underhill was elected to be Vice-President Elect of the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE) in 2009, an organisation that he led as their President in 2011-12. In 2012, he was awarded the Geological Society's Petroleum Group Silver Medal and the Edinburgh Geological Society's Clough Medal.

Underhill began refereeing while at Bristol University after taking up running to recuperate from an ankle injury. He subsequently refereed in the Welsh Leagues, whilst undertaking his PhD in Cardiff (1982–85), in Dutch Football (during 1986) before returning to England and officiating in the Southern League and Football Combination (1986–89). Underhill moved to Edinburgh in 1989 and refereed in local leagues until being promoted to the Scottish Football Association's Senior List of Referees in 1991.

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