Peter
R. Vail, acclaimed researcher and professor emeritus at Rice
University, will be honored in Salt Lake City along with 41 others
who will receive honors and awards during the opening session of
the AAPG Annual Meeting.
Vail, this year’s recipient of the Sidney Powers
Memorial Award, will be receiving the highest honor bestowed by
AAPG.
The awards ceremony is part of the opening session
of the AAPG Annual Meeting, which will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday,
May 11, at the Salt Lake City Salt Palace convention center. The
session will include a welcome and remarks from meeting General
Chairman Tom Chidsey and AAPG President Dan L. Smith.
The opening session will use images and music to
capture the excitement of the profession, the geology of Utah and
the triumphs of the industry.
Immediately following the awards ceremony will be
the Icebreaker reception in the nearby exhibits hall.
AAPG awards, approved by the Executive Committee,
are presented annually to recognize individuals for service to the
profession, the science, the association and the public.
Also being recognized will be award winners from
last fall’s AAPG international meeting in Cairo, plus three who
will receive House of Delegates’ honors.
Vail, retired senior research scientist of Exxon
Production Research Co., is widely recognized for his work in seismic
stratigraphy. These procedures were published in AAPG Memoir 26
and later led to the expansion of sequence stratigraphy.
Full biographies and citations of all award winners
will be included in a future BULLETIN; a story on Vail and his achievements
and contributions to the profession and scienc is on page 20.
Those award winners who will be honored along with
Vail are:
Honorary Membership Award
Presented to members who have distinguished themselves by their
accomplishments and through their service to the profession of
petroleum geology and to AAPG. This year’s honorees are:
Michel T. Halbouty Human Needs Award
Honoring the outstanding application of geology to the benefit
of human needs, recognizing scientific excellence.
Outstanding Explorer Award
In recognition of distinguished and outstanding achievement
in exploration for petroleum or mineral resources, with an intended
emphasis on recent discovery.
Distinguished Educator Award
For distinguished and outstanding contributions to geological
education, both at the university level and toward education of
the general public.
Special Award
For those whose area of work may not qualify for one of the
existing awards, but is worthy of association recognition.
Public Service Award
To recognize contributions of AAPG members to public affairs
— and intended to encourage such activities.
Pioneer Award
To long-standing members who have contributed to the association
and who have made meaningful contributions to the science of geology.
This year’s honorees are:
Distinguished Service Award
To those who have distinguished themselves in singular and beneficial
long-term service to AAPG. This year’s honorees are:
Journalism Award
For notable journalistic achievement, in any medium, which contributes
to public understanding of geology, energy resources or the technology
of oil and gas exploration. This year’s honorees are:
Robert H. Dott Sr. Memorial Award
To honor and reward the author/editor of the best special publication
dealing with geology published by the Association.
Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Award
To honor and reward the author(s) of the best AAPG BULLETIN
article published each calendar year.
George C. Matson Memorial Award
To honor and reward the best oral presentation at the AAPG annual
meeting in Denver.
Jules Braunstein Memorial Award
To honor and reward the best poster presentation at the AAPG
annual meeting in Denver.
Gabriel Dengo Memorial Award
To honor and reward the best paper from the AAPG international
meeting in Cairo.
Ziad Beydoun Memorial Award
To honor and reward the best poster presentation at the AAPG
international meeting in Cairo.
House of Delegates Honorary Membership Award
The House’s highest honor, presented in recognition of consistent,
dedicated and exemplary service to the HoD.
House of Delegates Distinguished Member Award
Presented to honor unique or exemplary service to the House
through committee work.