Memorials

As a continuing memorial since 1997, and in recognition of those geologists who have made a significant, and continuing impact on Texas geoscientists, special awards were presented during the Environmental Management and Mining Sessions of the Annual AIPG Conference held in Houston, Texas in 1997. These included recognition for special contributions made by Dr. David S. McKay (of NASA) (Memorial) (OB) and by Dr. Wayne A. Pettyjohn (retired, Oklahoma State University)(OB).

The AIPG Texas Section presented the Shoemaker Award in 1997 to Dr. Gene Shoemaker to commemorate his accomplishments and the extraordinary partnership with his wife, Carolyn Shoemaker.

The Gene M. Shoemaker Scholarship

A graduate scholarship has been named in honor of Dr. Gene M. Shoemaker for:

a) his pioneering efforts in identifying impact craters on Earth since the mid-1960s and then elsewhere in the solar system. Read of his struggles with “old school” professors during a lecture at Ohio State described by eyewitness in  “Anecdotes of a Lifetime: Memoirs of a Professional Geologist, page 147 in text (p. 153 in Kindle PDF).

b) his efforts in astrogeology by pointing the way to off-world fields of exploration (considered by many as the Father of Astrogeology), and

c) his efforts in encouraging his wife Carolyn to follow him into astrogeological investigations to make her own outstanding contributions in astrogeology.

A Shoemaker Scholarship is awarded to a graduate student attending a university in Texas on the basis of merit and on the perceived likelihood that the student selected will make significant contributions to his or her field of study and to society in the years ahead. A commemorative plaque is presented, plus a copy of the book, Shoemaker by Levy: The Man Who Made an Impact, by David H. Levy, with the inscription (here) and (here).  For the recent awards, see the Texas Section News Announcement (more).

The Ted H. Foss Scholarship

An undergraduate scholarship has been named in honor of Dr. Ted H. Foss to commemorate his contributions:

a) to Rice University (Ph.D., 1964),

b) to NASA in serving as the Chief of the Geology & Geochemistry Branch of the Science Directorate, Houston and in providing geological training to the original group of astronauts in the mid-to-late 1960s at various places of volcanic interest around the world, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey,

c) to the mineral exploration and mining industry as senior management for projects around the world,

d) to many students while teaching short-courses and seminars,

e) to industry and the environmental consulting field for his invaluable mentoring over the years, and

f) to the AIPG Texas Section over the many decades he was a C.P.G

Note: Dr. Foss passed away in 2003 (more).

A Foss Scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate attending a university in Texas whose performance in college to date, outlook, and indicated objectives are exemplary among his or her peers.

For the recent awards, see the Texas Section News Announcement (more).