AppendixC
FY2003 Significant Accomplishments by USGS Employees

National Park Service Awards USGS Scientist: USGS scientist Caroline Rogers won the National Park Service 2003 Southeast Region Research Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to natural resource research. The award recognizes Rogers' commitment of more than 20 years to the understanding and protection of coral reef ecology in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic. Her research has led to the development of monitoring protocols and analytical methods that have been used in the western Atlantic and have been adopted worldwide.

USDA Honors USGS Scientist: On June 13, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman presented a certificate to USGS scientist Brian McCallum, the 2003 recipient of the 54th Annual William A. Jump Award, in recognition of his work in Louisiana and Georgia. The ceremony took place at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The award was established in 1950 in honor of the late William A. Jump, Budget and Finance Officer of the USDA, to promote interest, growth, development and high-level performance of work in public administration. Nominees must demonstrate leadership; creativity and resourcefulness; close adherence to the basic principles of enlightened public service; integrity; and dedication to duty.

USGS Scientist Selected as Distinguished Lecturer: USGS scientist Barbara Bekins has been selected as the 27th Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer (BDDL) by the Geological Society of America. The BDDL customarily lectures at 30-50 North American academic institutions during the course of a 1-year term. Bekins will lecture on microbial degradation of contaminants as well as plate-boundary hydrogeology. Bekins also recently served as a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer for the Joint Oceanographic Institutions and is currently serving as a lecturer in the Water Resources Research Lecture Series.

USGS Earthquake Specialist Honored: USGS scientist Waverly Person was awarded the American Association of Petroleum Geologist's Special Award at their annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 11-14. Person was recognized for his contributions to the field of earthquake studies, his work in establishing the USGS National Earthquake Information Center and his skill in communicating information about damaging earthquakes. Previous recipients include Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt (Apollo astronaut and the only geologist to land on the moon) and USGS geologist Eugene Shoemaker.

Snowy Plover Stewardship Award: USGS scientist Kevin Lafferty received the Natural Areas Association 2003 Resource Stewardship Award on September 27, in Madison, Wisconsin for helping to protect snowy plovers. Lafferty will be honored for his conservation efforts resulting in a balance between local recreational activities and protection of the first plover fledglings since 1970 on Coal Oil Point Reserve near Santa Barbara, California.

Making a Difference for Women in Science: USGS scientist Lucile Jones was recognized for her achievements as a leadership figure for women in science at the annual meeting of the Camino Real Region of the Soroptimist International organization in Monrovia, Calif., May 2-3. Jones was presented the Women of Distinction Award, which honors women who demonstrated leadership in their fields and served as role models. Jones was cited for her distinguished accomplishments as a seismologist and for being widely recognized as a role model for women in scientific and technical careers.

USGS Scientist Recipient of National Wilderness Award: The U.S. Forest Service named USGS scientist Jan van Wagtendonk recipient of a 2002 National Wilderness Award, in the category of excellence in wilderness stewardship research. The award recognized van Wagtendonk's career of over 30 years in wilderness science. His research at Yosemite National Park has assisted in the development of wilderness fire management and visitor use management programs for the Park that has contributed substantially to interagency wilderness stewardship programs in the Sierra Nevada. His work on fuels dynamics, fire prescriptions, remote sensing, and GIS application to fire management has made major contributions to wilderness fire programs. USFS Chief Dale Bosworth presented the award to van Wagtendonk at the USFS Annual Chief's Awards Ceremony in Arlington, Va., June 12.

USGS Scientist Honored by AAAS: The American Association for the Advancement of Science elected USGS scientist David P. Hill to the rank of AAAS Fellow. The election of an AAAS Fellow began in 1874 and honors those whose "efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished." Hill was honored for his research on volcano and tectonic systems, for outstanding leadership as Chief Scientist for the USGS Long Valley Observatory, and for superb skill in communicating volcanic hazards information to the public. Hill was formally inducted during the AAAS Fellows Forum during the AAAS Annual Meeting in Denver in February 2003.

USGS Scientist Selected as Darcy Lecturer: USGS scientist Allen M. Shapiro has been selected by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) to be the Distinguished Darcy Lecturer for 2004. The Darcy Lecture Series is intended to foster interest and excellence in ground water science and technology. Annually, NGWA selects an outstanding research scientist to share their research with peers and students in lectures at universities and research institutes in North America and internationally. Shapiro will offer two lectures from his research in fractured rock environments. Many areas of the United States, especially areas experiencing population growth in the Northeast, Southeast, and mountainous regions of the West, rely on fractured-rock aquifers for water supply. Fractured rock aquifers also are viewed as potential repositories for radioactive and other types of waste, where it is desirable for the ground water to be inaccessible or move at a very slow rate.

USGS Geographer Inducted into Royal Geographical Society: USGS Geographer Joseph Kerski has been inducted as a Fellow into The Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers (RGS). The Society, founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical science, is the largest geographical society in Europe and one of the largest in the world, with a membership of over 13,000. The Society supports research, education, and training and is headquartered in London, England. The society voted to make Dr Kerski an RGS Fellow because of his role in fostering international educational partnerships, for his research contributions in geography education, and for teaching over 40 workshops annually for the past decade.

USGS Scientist Recognized with Award: USGS scientist Jim Estes was honored at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Symposium, on March 15, at California State University, Monterey Bay. Estes gave the Ed Ricketts Memorial Lecture created to honor individuals for contributions to the field of marine science. Estes is an international expert on sea otters and a specialist in the role of top-level predators in the marine environment See http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov/ for information.

USGS Scientist Appointed Department of State Embassy Science Fellow: USGS scientist Bob Finkelman was awarded a competitive appointment to become Department of State Embassy Science Fellow for South Africa. Finkelman will provide expertise, advice, and assist with science and technology issues in southern Africa and will meet with representatives of the South African geoscience, environmental science and public health communities to help develop a medical geology infrastructure. He will also work with the South African coal science community to create a publicly available coal quality database and explore ways to improve coal science education through links between African and U.S. universities and the USGS. He will also be a visiting lecturer at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa.