Awards and Accolades

The Department of Geosciences at the University of Arizona apart from its first class research facilities, is home to award-winning faculty and researchers that hold numerous recognitions, locally, nationally and internationally. We proudly acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and awards of our current Graduate and Undergraduate students and Alumni. Learn about the recent award recipients and read about the career paths of some of our exceptional Alumni featured here.

 

    Academic Year 2021-2022

    Brianna Hoegler,

    David Cantillo,

     

    More information on the Outstanding Senior Award and the Excellence in UG Research Award is available on the College of Science Student Awards website.

    Academic Year 2020-2021

    Peter Blake,

    • Outstanding Senior Award in Geosciences.  Peter graduated within the top of his graduating class. He conducted research on the Seismicity of Lassen Peak in Northern California during his junior and senior year with Prof. Eric Kiser. He is currently working as a Geophysical Field Technician at Zonge International in Reno, NV.

    On the Footsteps of some of our remarkable Alumni

    Anahi Carrera,

    • Presently pursuing graduate studies at  USC 

    Mariah Romero

    • Presently pursuing graduate studies at MSU

    Mark Mellott,

    • Presently at Montgomery and Associates

    Ryan Johnson,

    • Presently at Montgomery and Associates

    Michelle Dafov,

    • Presently at ExxonMobil

    Clare DeCelles,

    • Presently at Terracon 

    Simon Stickroth,

    • Presently at  Bronco Creek Exploration 

    Academic Year 2023-2024


      Emilia Caylor

      • Dr. Maria Teresa Velez Diversity Leadership Scholarship Award


      Academic Year 2021-2022


      Emilie Bowman

      • AGS Allison Scholarship

      Maria Camila Sojo Aguero

      • AGS J. Harold Courtright Scholarship

      College of Science Graduate Student Awards 2022

      Scholarship: John He

      Service: Tshering Lama Sherpa

      Teaching: Emilia Caylor


      Emilia Caylor

      • Her research (Tectonics Research Group)  involves studying the thermochronologic record in the Bighorn Mountains to investigate the timing of Laramide flat slab subduction and the development of modern topography in the western USA. She presented these results at the Thermo 2021 Conference in Santa Fe, NM and received Honorable mention for her talk.

      Sankha Subhra Mahanti

      • Sumner, John and Nancy Scholarship, 2021

      John He

      • AGU Michael H. Freilich Student Visualization Competition, 2021
      • The AGU Michael H. Freilich Student Visualization Competition was funded by NASA to encourage the use of creative visualization to present complex problems in the Earth and space sciences. The competition is focused on innovation and creativity in presenting data as well as the perceived level of impact and engagement that the planned presentation incites in audience and the organization and conceivability of the proposed presentation of data. The winning submission, which will be featured at the NASA Hyperwall at AGU in December, was centered on interpretation and 3D visualization of an extensive apatite U-Th/He thermochronology dataset from the Transantarctic Mountains in East Antarctica. The proposed presentation focuses on communicating the nuances of thermochronology interpretation to a general audience. It seeks to illustrate how thermochronology, which can be an esoteric topic for non-specialists, can tell us more about the paleotopographic evolution of Antarctica during one of the most critical climate transitions in the planet’s history, the Eocene-Oligocene transition, when the planet dropped from a “greenhouse" climate into an “icehouse” climate and around when the East Antarctic Ice Sheet first began to expand. The data was based on research conducted in collaboration with University of Arizona geoscientists Stuart Thomson and Peter Reiners, as well as Sidney Hemmings (Columbia University), and Kathy Licht (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), recently published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

          Read John He's award winning article here.


      On the Footsteps of some of our remarkable Graduate Alumni

      Grace Windler

      • former PhD student of Prof. Jess Tierney, now working for the Bureau of Reclamation

      Philip McFarland

      • former PhD student of  Prof. Rick Bennett, now working for NOAA

      Kat Compton

      • former PhD student of  Prof. Rick Bennet, now working for EPA

      Kelly West

      Moira Smith

      • Dr. Jordan T. Abell
      • Harry Elderfield Student Paper Award from the Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology section of the American Geophysical Union, September 2021

      Victor Baker

      • Regent's Professor, Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences
      • 50-Year Membership Recognition, American Geophysical Union
      • 50-Year Membership Recognition, The Geological Society of America
      • 50-Year Membership Status, American Associate for the Advancement of Science
      • Inaugural International Lecturer, Geological Society of America, 2012
      • Distinguished Career Award, Geological Society of America Quaternary Geology & Geomorphology Division, 2010

      Mark Barton

      • Prazen Living Legend of Mining, National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, 2022

      Susan Beck

      • George P. Woolard Award, Geological Society of America, Geophysics Division, 2017
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2015
      • Gutenberg Lecturer, Fall Meeting, American Geophysical Union, 2014
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2014
      • Chair, IRIS board of directors, 2008
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2007

      Richard Bennett

      • Richard Ruiz Outstanding Faculty Fellow in a Specialized Center Award, UA Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Academic Initiatives and Student Success, 2015

      Barbara Carrapa

      • William R. Dickinson Medal Award, Society for Sedimentary Geology, 2022
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2017
      • Associate Editor, GSA Bulletin, 2017
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2015
      • Guest Professorship, ETH Zurich, 2014         

      Andrew Cohen

      • Geological Society of America-Continental Scientific Drilling Division Distinguished Lecturer 2021/2022
      • W.H. Bradley Medal, International Limnogeology Association, 2018
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2018
      • Israel C. Russell Award, Geological Society of America Limnogeology Division, 2015
      • University Distinguished Professor Award, University of Arizona, 2014
      • Board Chair, Drilling, Observation and Sampling of the Earth's Continental Crust, 2012
      • University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award 2003
      • Middlebury College. Alumni Achievement Award 1999
      • Fellow, The Geological Society of America, 1994

      George Davis

      • Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Wooster, 2016
      • Superior Teaching Award, College of Humanities Seminar Program, 2015
      • President, Geological Society of America, 2012
      • Honorary Doctorate Degree, Carleton College, 2012
      • National Recipient of the Inspire Integrity Award, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, 2012
      • Structural Geology and Tectonics Division Career Contributor Award, Geological Society of America, 2011
      • Chair, NSF Advisory Committee for the Directorate for Geosciences, 2008-2010
      • Peter W. Likins Inclusive Excellence Award,  UA, 2006-2007
      • College of Science Outstanding Faculty Award, UA, 2003
      • Named among 100 Most Distinguished Ph.D. Recipients of The University of Michigan, 1988.   
      • Faculty of Science Recognition Award for Dedicated and Distinguished Leadership, UA, 1986
      • Faculty of Science Distinguished Teaching Award, UA, 1985
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 1980
      • Lindgren Citation Award for Excellence in Research, Society of Economic Geologists, 1971 

      Peter DeCelles

      • The Francis J. Pettijohn Medal for Sedimentology, Society for Sedimentary Geology
      • Pettijohn Medal, SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology, 2018
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2017
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2017
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2012
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2010
      • Laurence L. Sloss Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sedimentary Geology, Geological Society of America Sedimentary Geology Division, 2008

      Robert Downs

      • Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2010

      Mihai Ducea

      • Science co-editor, GSA Today, 2018 - 2021
      • Fulbright U.S. Scholar, Fulbright, 2017
      • Associate Editor, Tectonics, 2017
      • Discipline Chief Professorship, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 2016 - 2019
      • Associate Editor, International Geology Review, 2016
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2016
      • Honorary Member, Academy of Romanian Scientists, 2016

      Karl Flessa

      • Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2018
      • Partners in Conservation Award, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2014
      • Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation, Australia, 2014
      • Distinguished Faculty Award, University of Arizona Department of Geosciences Advisory Board, 2014
      • Distinguished Guest Scientist, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2013

      Jibamitra Ganguly

      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2014

      Carmala N. Garzione

      • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2023
      • Dickinson Medal, Society for Sedimentary Geology, 2020  
      • Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Endowed Professor, University of Rochester, 2016 
      • Goergen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Rochester, 2010
      • Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists, New York Academy of Sciences, 2009 
      • Distinguished Lecturer, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 2008-2009
      • Geological Society of America Fellow, 2008 
      • Donath Medal, Geological Society of America, 2007
      • University of Maryland Geology Alumni Award, 2007    
      • University of Arizona Geosciences Alumni Achievement Award, 2007 
      • CIRES Fellowship, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2003 

      George Gehrels

      • Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring, University of Arizona, 2022
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2015
      • Lifetime Achievement Award, Scientific Detectors in Astronomy Conference, 2013
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2012
      • Day Medal, Geological Society of America, 2011

      Christopher Harig

      • CAREER Award, NSF, 2022

      C. Vance Haynes

      • Career Achievement Award, Geosciences Advisory Board and UA Department of Anthropology, 2008

      Vance Holliday

      • University of Arizona Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize for Research/ Scholarship/ Creative Activity. 2021
      • Society for American Archaeology Fryxell Award for Interdisciplinary Research. 2018
      • Gladys Cole Award, Geological Society of America, 2012
      • Kirk Bryan Award of the Geological Society of America Quaternary Geology & Geomorphology Division, for a publication of distinction advancing the science of Quaternary Geology, 1998
      • George R. “Rip” Rapp Archaeological Geology Career Award of the Geological Society of America Geoarchaeology Division, 1998.
      • Gladys Cole Award, Geological Society of America, 1996.
      • Elected Fellow of the Geological Society of America, 1992. 

       Mauricio Ibañez-Mejia

      • CAREER Award, NSF, 2022

      Timothy Jull

      • Distinguished Guest Scientist, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2013
      • Fulbright Fellowship, Fulbright, 2012

      Ananya Mallik

      • Associate Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2020
      •  Distinguished Lecturer, Mineralogical Society of America, 2022-23

      Jessica Kapp

      • Innovation in Teaching Award, University of Arizona College of Science, 2018

      Paul Kapp

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2011
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2009
      • Donath Medal, Geological Society of America, 2008
      • Outstanding Young Scientist Award, Geological Society of America, 2008

      Marcus Lofverstrom

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2021

      Luke McGuire

      • Bisgrove Scholar, Science Foundation Arizona, 2017

      Edgar J. McCullough, Jr.

      • College of Science Alumni of the Year, Arizona Alumni Advisory Council, 2022

      Jennifer McIntosh

      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2019

      Jonathan Patchett

      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2010

      Jon Pelletier

      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2015
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2012

      Jay Quade

      • Arthur L. Day Medal recipient, Geological Society of America, 2018
      • Fellow, Geochemical Society & European Association of Geochemistry, 2016
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2015
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2015
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2012
      • Galileo Circle Fellow, University of Arizona, 2007

      Peter Reiners

      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2019
      • Fellow, UA Academic Leadership Institute, 2016
      • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2015
      • MIT Crosby Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015
      • Marie Curie Fellowship, European Union, 2012     

      Randall Richardson

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2016

      Joaquin Ruiz

      • Public Service Award recipient, Geological Society of America, 2018
      • President, Geological Society of America, 2010

      Joellen Russell

      • Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair of Integrative Science, 2022
      • Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair of Integrative Science, 2017
      • 1885 Society Distinguished Scholar, University of Arizona, 2014
      • Gerard P. Kuiper Award, University of Arizona, 2014
      • Appointee, US Carbon Cycle Scientific Steering Group, 2014
      • Distinguished Lecturer, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 2011
      • General Eduction Teaching Award, UA Provost's office, 2010

      Kaustubh Thirumalai

      • Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Nanne Weber Early Career Award, AGU, 2022 
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, Geosciences Advisory Board, 2021- 2022

      Eric Seedorff

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2014
      • Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence in Climate System Science, University of Melbourne, 2013
      • Honorary Faculty, University of Melbourne School of Earth Sciences, 2013

      Diane Thompson

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2020

      Jessica Tierney

      • The Alan T. Waterman Award from NSF, 2022
      • Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair of Integrative Science, 2022
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, Geosciences Advisory Board, 2020-2021
      • Galileo Circle Curie Award, University of Arizona, 2019
      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2019
      • University of Arizona Honors College Excellence in Teaching Award, 2017
      • Packard Science and Engineering Fellowship, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, 2015        
      • Pieter Schenck Award, European Association of Organic Geochemists, 2015
      • James B. Macelwane Medal, American Geophysical Union, 2014   
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2014    

      Jianjun Yin

      • Junior Scientist Travel Award, WGOMD/SOP Workshop on Sea Level Rise, Ocean/Ice Shelf Interactions and Ice Sheets, Hobart, Australia, 2013

      George Zandt

      • Outstanding Faculty Award, UA Geosciences Advisory Board, 2012  
      • Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2011

      The contributions and dedication our Staff members have been recognized both at the College level and University Wide with the following Awards:

      College of Science Staff Advisory Council Star Awards

      • Spring 2022  Christine Duddleston
      • Fall 2019 Patricia Waters
      • Fall 2018 Kiriaki Xiluri-Lauria

      College of Science Award of Excellence

      • 2022 Kiriaki Xiluri-Lauria  
      • 2020  Shawna Matteson
      • 2019 Mark Baker
      • 2018 Alicia Saposnik
      • 2017 Denise Carrillo
      • 2016 Michelle Garcia
      • 2015 David Steinke
      • 2014 Sharon Bouck
      • 2013 Sylvia Quintero
      • 2012 Anne Chase
      • 2011 Kiriaki Xiluri-Lauria
      • 2010 Norm Meader
      • 2009 Roswell Juan
      • 2008 Heather Alvarez
      • 2007 Ben McElhaney
      • 2006 Mark Baker
      • 2005 Welsley Bilodeau
      • 2004 Lesa Langan-DuBerry

      University Wide Awards

      • 2017 Kiriaki Xiluri-Lauria University of Arizona Award for Exellence
      • 2015 Shawna Matteson Honors College Excellence in Advising Award.

       

       

      • 2022 Sumit Chakraborty
      • 2020 Ellen Wohl, PhD '88 & Leslie McFadden, PhD '82
      • 2019 Brian K. Horton, PhD '98 2018 
      • 2017 Carlotta Chernoff, PhD ‘02
      • 2016 Robert Krantz, MS ’83, PhD ‘86
      • 2015 Steve Marshak, MS ‘79
      • 2014 Larry Archibald, MS ‘82
      • 2013 Steve Lingrey, PhD ‘82
      • 2012 Doug Silver, MS ‘80
      • 2011 Libby Anthony, MS ’79, PhD ‘86
      • 2007 Carmala Garzione, MS ’96, PhD ‘00
      • 2002 William E. Holt, MS ’86, PhD ‘89
      • 2001 Charles F. Kluth, PhD ‘82 2000 & David K. Rea, MS '67
      • 1999 Mark D. Zoback, BS '69
      • 1998 Steven J. Reynolds, MS '77, PhD '82 Isaac J. Winograd, PhD '71
      • 1997 John R. Delaney, PhD '77, Michael C. Gurnis, BS '82