Jill Banfield Named 2017 V.M. Goldschmidt Medalist
February 22, 2017
Jill Banfield, professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley, will receive the 2017 V. M. Goldschmidt Award this summer. The Goldschmidt Award recognizes major achievements in geochemistry or cosmochemistry consisting of either a single outstanding contribution or a series of publications that have had great influence on the field. Prof. Banfield studies the structure, metabolic potential and functioning of natural microbial communities in sediments, soil, water, biofilms and animals. She develops and applies new methods in molecular geomicrobiology and microbial ecology. She also studies nanoparticle formation and the behavior of nanoparticles and clay minerals in the natural environment (nanogeoscience). The award will be formally presented at the Goldschmidt 2017 conference in Paris, France this August.
Kai-Uwe Hinrichs Named 2017 C.C. Patterson Medalist
February 22, 2017
Kai-Uwe Hinrichs, professor of organic geochemistry in the Department of Geosciences/MARUM, University of Bremen, will receive the 2017 Clair C. Patterson Award this summer. The Patterson Award recognizes an innovative breakthrough of fundamental significance in environmental geochemistry, particularly in service of society, consisting of either a single outstanding contribution or a short series of papers published within the last decade. Prof. Dr. Hinrichs is recognized for his work on the interactions between microbial life and the carbon cycle on a range of spatial, temporal and molecular scales. The award will be formally presented at the Goldschmidt 2017 conference in Paris, France this August.
Francis McCubbin Named 2017 F.W. Clarke Medalist
February 22, 2017
Francis M. McCubbin, astromaterials curator in the NASA Johnson Space Center's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, will receive the 2017 F.W. Clarke Award this summer. The Clarke Award recognizes an early-career scientist for a single outstanding contribution to geochemistry or cosmochemistry published either as a single paper or a series of papers on a single topic. Dr. McCubbin is recognized for his work on water in apatite that changed our understanding of volatiles in the moon. The award will be formally presented at the Goldschmidt 2017 conference in Paris, France this August.
John Hayes (1940-2017)
February 10, 2017
John Michael Hayes, born September 6, 1940, passed away at his home in Berkeley, California, on February 3, 2017. John Hayes was a leader in the fields of organic geochemistry and biogeochemistry who opened these fields to stable isotopes with his pioneering work in compound specific isotopes (CSIA). The impact of CSIA in present day chemistry has been wide-reachin; it is used in drug analyses, forensic geochemistry, food processing, blood testing, and environmental geochemistry, and it has entered the popular culture via forensic science focused TV shows. His generosity of spirit and enthusiasm for bringing together the ideas and practitioners of geology, chemistry, and biology to inform each other, was at the core of his impact across disciplines. His ground-breaking work in CSIA and his legacy of an interdisciplinary approach to research was transformative and contributed profoundly to our understanding of the Earth's organic processes.
Nominate a Colleague for the GS Distinguished Service Award
February 03, 2017
Do you know someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to the Geochemical Society or to the scientific community? The Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize them. Learn more about the award and the nomination process and submit your nomination by March 10, 2017.