GS Adopts Bylaws Amendments
August 14, 2023
In July, the GS board of directors approved a number of amendments to the society's bylaws, which govern the rights and responsibilities of the members and officers of the organization. Last amended in 2017, some sections of bylaws had become outdated. The amendments include provisions that:
- Update the responsibilities of officers, such as the president, vice president, and secretary to accurately reflect the duties of those positions;
- Add the option for meetings of the board and the membership to be held virtually (online);
- Add references to early career directors, who are elected to the board for two-year terms;
- Remove specific tasks of various society committees (these were moved to a policy manual that can be more easily updated to reflect the current needs and responsibilities of the committees);
- Update legal language in indemnification provisions and relating to Texas laws governing nonprofit corporations (the GS is incorporated in Texas).
Bernd (Berni) R.T. Simoneit (1937-2023)
August 03, 2023
It is with deep sadness that we report that Bernd R.T. Simoneit, an impressively productive and prolific organic and environmental biogeochemist and a Professor Emeritus of Oregon State University, died at his home in Corvallis on July 23, 2023.
Berni was born in Germany and immigrated to America as a young boy with his parents and his sister to settle in Rhode Island. He started his college education in New England, receiving his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Boston University (1965). He then took on a research position at the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California at Berkeley (1966-1973). A chance encounter with Geoff Eglinton, who was visiting the Laboratory, led to his earning his PhD in organic geochemistry from the University of Bristol (UK) in 1975. He subsequently held positions at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at the University of California, Los Angeles (1976-1981), and the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences of Oregon State University (1981-2002). In addition to these permanent positions, he had visiting scientist positions at the California Institute of Technology (1965-2002), Tokyo Metropolitan University (1992), the Centre d'Investigacio I Desenvolupament, C.S.I.C., Barcelona, (1996-1997), Hokkaido University, Japan (2002), Florida International University (2003-2004), and the King Saud University, Riyadh (2008-2015). The overarching theme uniting Berni's studies at these multiple institutions was his intense curiosity about the nature of the chemical signatures that different lifeforms have left on our planet, a curiosity that led him to discover an impressively broad suite of molecular and isotopic biomarkers.
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe Receives 2023 John Hayes Award
July 13, 2023
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, who is on leave from the University of California, Merced to serve as Director of the DOE Office of Science, received the 2023 John Hayes Award from the GS. The award is given to a mid-career scientist for outstanding accomplishments that draw together multiple fields of investigation to advance biogeochemical science. It was created in 2017 by the Organic Geochemistry Division and a group of friends, colleagues, and students of John Hayes. Prof. Berhe is recognized for contributions to our understanding of the dynamics of carbon transport and stabilization in soils, from molecular to watershed scales. Her research has transformed our conceptual model of terrestrial carbon cycling by incorporating a landscape perspective, specifically, geomorphology and hillslope processes, into biogeochemical studies.
Ken Rubin to Receive Distinguished Service Award
June 23, 2023
Ken Rubin of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will receive the 2023 GS Distinguished Service Award at the Goldschmidt Conference in July. He is recognized for extraordinary service to the Geochemical Society and the broader geochemical community through his leadership as chair of the Local Organizing committee and Science Committee member for the Goldschmidt Conferences in 2020 and 2022. The Distinguished Service Award is presented on an irregular basis to recognize contributions that greatly exceed the normal expectations of voluntary service.
Executive Editor of GCA
June 06, 2023
The Geochemical Society and the Meteoritical Society are seeking qualified candidates to serve as Executive Editor (EE) of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (GCA). The appointment is for an initial 3-year term commencing January 1, 2025, with the possibility of an additional 3-year term by negotiation with the societies and the publisher. GCA publishes research papers that address fundamental aspects of geochemistry and cosmochemistry as well as articles relating to key activities of the sponsoring societies.
Consideration of applicants will begin October 1 and continue until the position is filled. Learn more
James Bischoff (1940-2021)
March 23, 2023
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jim Bischoff who died at the age of 80 on February 17, 2021. Jim had battled several serious illnesses over the past couple of decades and finally succumbed while in the care of hospice with his family at his side. He is survived by his wife Marybeth, children Matthew and Lorena, and four grandchildren.
His curiosity driven life in the pursuit of science led him to a highly successful career in marine geochemistry. Recognizing the impracticality of a fantasy career in archaeology Jim obtained an undergraduate degree in geology at Occidental College and PhD in geochemistry at Berkeley in 1966 under Bill Fyfe. He carried out a two-year postdoc at Woods Hole during a time of great excitement about new discoveries in the oceans, especially about this outrageous new idea of seafloor spreading. After five years as Professor at University of Southern California, Jim joined the Branch of Pacific and Coastal Marine Geology of the USGS in 1974. He quickly built the marine geochemistry program to international acclaim.
GS Statement on Ukraine Crisis
March 10, 2022
The Geochemical Society condemns the war, violence, and the loss of civilian life in Ukraine. We stand by the country's citizens and our Ukranian colleagues and their families who are affected. Our greatest desire is for peace and an end to the suffering and displacement caused by this crisis.
While issues of survival are taking precedence for many people, the work of science also continues, so we offer these resources as a small contribution to cooperation and goodwill. To the extent it is possible for scientists in Ukraine to participate in a conference, the EAG and GS will offer free participation for them at the upcoming 2022 Goldschmidt Conference.
A growing list of research institutions in Europe and elsewhere are offering to host refugee scientists through a community initiative. Learn more
Remembering William “Bill” Reeburgh (1940-2021)
December 15, 2021
Professor William S. Reeburgh, known to friends and colleagues as Bill, died in July. He was a Geochemistry Fellow and active supporter of the Geochemical Society for many years. He and his wife, Carelyn, established the Endowed Biogeochemistry Lecture in 2016 and it is now an important part of the annual Goldschmidt Conference.
Born in 1940 in Port Arthur, Texas, Bill received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. in oceanography from Johns Hopkins University. He was professor and chair of Marine Science at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks for many years. In 1993, he moved to the University of California, Irvine as a founding professor of the university's Department of Earth System Science.
According to a press release from UCI:
"Bill Reeburgh's research contributed enormously to our understanding of the global methane cycle, and it was once said that he was to methane what Dave Keeling was to CO2. He recognized that methane entering the atmosphere and oceans represents the small imbalance between very large methane production and oxidation sinks resulting from microbial activity in sediments and soils. He demonstrated an important new sink mechanism for methane in oxygen-free environments, but had to convince skeptical microbiologists, as no microbe had then been discovered with this metabolism. To do this, Bill used what he called "the 3R's" – documenting routes, reactions and rates by combining tools ranging from sediment reaction-diffusion modeling, isotope labeling and stable isotope distributions to build an incontrovertible case. Many of the measurements came from favorite field sites in Skan Bay, Alaska and the Black Sea."
His important contributions to the fields of biogeochemistry and global elemental cycling were recognized by the GS and EAG in 2018 when Bill was named a Geochemistry Fellow. He was also a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Bill and Carelyn were married for 54 years and raised three children together. On retiring from UCI, Bill moved to Vancouver, Washington where he enjoyed woodworking, spending time with his six grandchildren, and serving on various scientific advisory committees, including the GS Strategic Planning Committee.
Bill will be missed by his many friends and colleagues in the Geochemical Society. But his and Carelyn's generosity will be felt long into the future as the Endowed Biogeochemistry Lecture continues to recognize innovative science in this field.
The Geochemical Society has planted a tree in memory of Bill Reeburgh. You can also plant a tree in his name.
Source:
Remembering Professor William "Bill" S. Reeburgh - UCI Physical Sciences Communications
Remembering Frederick A. Frey (1938-2021)
October 11, 2021
Fred Frey passed away on September 13, 2021 at 83 years of age. For over 50 years, Fred worked to build our understanding of the chemical composition of the Earth’s upper mantle and the generation of magma through mantle partial melting. He sought to understand the processes that lead to the diverse trace element and isotopic compositions of mantle rocks and mantle-derived magmas. Fred’s research was unique in that it encompassed two approaches to this understanding: direct study of mantle xenoliths and tectonically emplaced mantle rocks and the complementary study of magmas generated in different tectonic settings - at mid ocean ridges, oceanic islands, and subduction zones.
Recognizing a Broader Spectrum of Achievement
July 29, 2021
Excellence in geochemistry can be defined in many ways. Of course, this includes publication of novel discoveries, but it also includes teaching, capacity building, influencing policy making, science communication, and much more. Recognizing this, the Geochemical Society has broadened the definition of excellence we use in many of our award criteria.
The GS is also committed to increasing diversity in geochemistry and among its formally recognized inspirational and prominent figures. We seek to promote and encourage diversity and inclusion while furthering equity, a true sense of belonging, and success for all people. In particular, the society is keen to encourage talented researchers from underrepresented groups to serve as nominators and to be nominated for society awards.
Everyone in the geochemistry community is invited to participate in this process. Check out this list of frequently asked questions, which helps to demystify the process.
To submit a nomination, get started by reviewing the list of awards and their criteria. Nominations for our awards and special lectures are due by October 31.