Geological Society of America announces 2020 award winners

Each year the Geological Society of America (GSA) recognizes outstanding scientific achievement and distinguished service to the geoscience profession.

In a typical year, honorees are recognized at the Presidential Address and Awards Ceremony as part of the Society’s Annual Meeting. During the pandemic, the meeting has transitioned to an online event for scientific exchange, and plans are currently under development for the most appropriate way to spotlight these outstanding individuals.

Highest honors go to Penrose Medalist James G. Moore, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Menlo Park, California; Arthur L. Day Medalist Ariel D. Anbar, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona; and Donath Medalist (Young Scientist Award) Christopher Spencer, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Selected by immediate Past President Donald I. Siegel (Syracuse University) for The President’s Medal of The Geological Society of America is Solomon Hsiang, professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he runs the renowned global policy laboratory.

“Dr. Hsiang blends earth science with economics and social science in ways that few people do,” said Siegel. “Solomon is involved with artificial intelligence, and he earned his reputation by writing a series of papers equating past climate disruption with global warfare (arguing that most wars in the past relate to climate). His important work is stimulating new ways of thinking about geoscience in the context of social issues.”

Gold medalists

Penrose Medalist James G. Moore , scientist emeritus, USGS, was nominated by Keith Howard, also of the USGS. Howard cited Moore’s visionary, highly innovative discoveries as having opened major new geologic research fields and advances in determining lithosphere strength, how volcanoes work, and how batholiths evolve. “The far-reaching impacts of his achievements place him among the giants of geology,” said Howard.

Ariel D. Anbar is named the Arthur L. Day Medalist in recognition of his outstanding research contributions, mentoring for generations of students, and vigorous promotion of science in the public sphere. He is President’s Professor at Arizona State University. Nominator Thomas Algeo (University of Cincinnati) describes Anbar as a leader in the development of high-mass isotopic systems (Fe, Mo, U) that have yielded new insights into biogeochemical cycles. “Ariel Anbar is a world-class geoscientist and educator,” said Algeo.

Christopher J. Spencer earned the Young Scientist Award (Donath Medal) and a cash prize of $10,000 for outstanding achievement as an early career professional. Spencer is an assistant professor at Queens University. He was nominated by Brendan Murphy (St. Francis Xavier University) for outstanding contributions to the understanding of fundamental tectonic processes: from global to local in scale and from Archean to Cenozoic in age.

“Spencer’s research has incorporated a wide range of cognate disciplines including petrochronology, geophysics, geodynamics, stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, and stratigraphy,” said Murphy.

See more award winners here.