In 1952 she received her just reward — a permanent research position as a Fellow in the newly established Department of Geophysics at the Australian National University working with John Jaeger and John Richards.
Here she supervised numerous Ph.D. students, compiled chemical data on Australian rocks (work begun while at the Bureau) and wrote highly-acclaimed text books on Australian igneous and metamorphic petrology, in which she reintroduced the concept of the "shoshonite" suite of rocks that continues to be used. These books and many of her papers are adorned by her beautiful hand-drawn black and white thin-section figures that show textures so well.
With characteristic determination she took up research anew after the destruction of much of her material in a fire in 1960. Germaine Joplin typifies the women who began to take up professional careers in geology following World War 1. By her ability, determination and personality she reached great heights in the geological profession. She was a foundation member of the GSA and recipient of the GSA’s W.R. Browne medal in 1986, also becoming a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in the same year for her outstanding geological research. She is remembered on the ANU campus by her name being given to the library at University House and by Joplin Lane.
Sources
National Museum Australia, Women in science – Dr Germaine Joplin. https://pateblog.nma.gov.au/2015/03/06/women-in-science-dr-germaine-joplin/, accessed 4 Nov 2019
Presbyterian Ladies College, Dr Germaine Joplin – geologist and STEM pioneer. https://portal.plc.nsw.edu.au/portal/connections-email/646, accessed online 4 November 2019
Richards, John, 'Joplin, Germaine Anne (?–1989)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/joplin-germaine-anne-543/text544, accessed 4 November 2019.
Turner, S., 'Invincible but mostly Invisible: Australian Women's Contribution to Geology and Palaeontology', Geological Society Special Publication, vol. 281, 2007, pp. 165-202.
David Branagan, with additions by Ian Withnall and Sue Turner (2019)