Earth and Mineral Sciences

EMS honors faculty and student excellence at annual awards celebration

The Paul F. Robertson Award for EMS Breakthrough of the Year is given to recognize achievements for a singular breakthrough in research or in the scholarship of teaching. Pictured, left to right, are Penn State College of EMS alumnus Paul F. Robertson with award winners Mort Webster, professor of energy engineering, and Seth Blumsack, professor of energy policy and economics, along with Lee Kump, John Leone Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.   Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) recognized exceptional students and faculty for their academic excellence, service and leadership during its annual Wilson Awards Celebration, held on Sunday, April 23. The Wilson Awards are named in honor of Matthew and Anne Wilson, major benefactors of the college.

Matthew Wilson graduated from Penn State in 1918 with a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering, and the Wilson endowment provides the college with support for its well-known student loan program and a number of faculty and student awards and scholarships.

“The annual Wilson Awards Celebration gives us an opportunity to gather to recognize excellence in our students and faculty,” said Lee Kump, John Leone Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. “We have a tremendously talented faculty and students who do remarkable things, and this is a chance to honor them.”

This year’s recipients are listed below.

Paul F. Robertson Award for EMS Breakthrough of the Year

This award was created in 2012 with support from a generous gift by EMS alumnus Paul F. Robertson. This award is given to recognize achievements for a singular breakthrough in research or in the scholarship of teaching. This year’s recipients are:

  • Seth Blumsack, professor of energy policy and economics
  • Mort Webster, professor of energy engineering

Wilson Award for Excellence in Research

The Wilson Award for Excellence in Research is the college’s highest research honor. This award is given in recognition of scholarly or creative excellence represented by a single contribution or a series of contributions around a coherent theme. The contribution may be original basic research or may represent the application of knowledge in the creation of a process or device useful to society. Recipient is:

  • Jon-Paul Maria, professor of materials science and engineering

Wilson Award for Excellence in Teaching

This award is given in recognition of outstanding teaching represented by performance in a single course of instruction or a series of contributions around a coherent theme. The contribution may represent application of knowledge in a traditional classroom setting, field course or online education. Recipient is:

  • Anthony Robinson, associate professor of geography and director of the online geospatial education programs at Penn State

Wilson Award for Outstanding Service

Created in 1999, the Wilson Service Award recognizes exceptional service contributions to the college, the University and the community. Recipient is:

  • Elizabeth Hajek, associate professor of geosciences

Faculty Advising Award

Created in 2013, the Faculty Advising Award is given in recognition of outstanding advising undertaken by faculty members to enhance the student’s experience at Penn State. Recipient is:

  • Amy Robinson, associate teaching professor and the associate head for undergraduate studies in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Faculty Mentoring Award

The Faculty Mentoring Award honors a faculty member who invests in the success of others, whether it is a new faculty member, a student or a staff member. This award recognizes the generous contribution of time and energy it takes to mentor in teaching, research and service. Recipients are:

  • Allison Beese, associate professor of materials science and engineering
  • Steven Seman, assistant teaching professor of meteorology and atmospheric science

G. Montgomery and Marion Hall Mitchell Award for Innovative Teaching

This award was created in 1998 to recognize faculty members in the college who use innovative teaching techniques in their courses. Recipients are:

  • Mark Fedkin, assistant teaching professor in the John A. Dutton Institute of Teaching and Learning Excellence
  • Brandi Robinson, assistant teaching professor in the John A. Dutton Institute of Teaching and Learning Excellence
  • Haley Sankey, assistant teaching professor in the John A. Dutton Institute of Teaching and Learning Excellence
  • Erich Schienke assistant teaching professor in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering

E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Faculty Fellowship

The E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Faculty Fellowship was created to support faculty of exceptional creativity who propose highly innovative approaches to major contemporary challenges in the earth, energy and material sciences. Recipient is:

  • Luis Ayala, William A. Fustos Family Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering, for his proposal “Pore-scale investigation of multicomponent, multiphase flow of geofluids: A fugacity-based mesoscopic approach”

George H. Deike, Jr. Research Grant

The George H. Deike, Jr. Research Grant is awarded in support of an innovative research project. Recipients is:

  • Barbara Arnold, professor of practice in mining engineering, for her proposal “Revalorization of mine tailings”

Wilson Research Initiation Grant

The Wilson Research Initiation Grant was established to provide an extra spark to the research career of a junior faculty member. Recipient is:

  • Anastasia Piliouras, assistant professor of geosciences, for her proposal “Variability in bluff retreat on Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie coast”

Gladys Snyder Junior Faculty Grants

The Gladys Snyder Junior Faculty Grants are awarded for proposals for the development of new courses or the improvement of current offerings; for travel to professional meetings; to broaden the studies of junior faculty members; or to recognize significant contributions in research efforts. Recipients are:

  • Brandi Gaertner, assistant teaching professor of geography, for her proposal, “Historical and Future Climate and Hydrologic Changes in the Mid-Atlantic, United States.”
  • Louisa Holmes, assistant professor of geography, for her proposal, “Spatial and contextual variations in opioid use and co-use across Pennsylvania in the wake of COVID-19.”
  • Ashish Ranjan Kumar, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering, for his proposal, “Development of a Virtual Reality System for Classroom Teaching of Complex Mining Operations.”
  • Benjamin Reppert, lecturer in meteorology and atmospheric science, for his proposal, “Enhancing the Online Education Environment with State-of-the-Art, Hands-on Technology to Connect the Classroom and the Real World.”

Postdoctoral Excellence in Research Award

Postdoctoral Excellence in Research is given in recognition of excellence in research represented by a single contribution or a series of contributions around a coherent theme. This award is designed to celebrate postdoctoral scholar’s outstanding achievements in research that has or will impact their field of study. Recipients is:

  • Yao Zhou, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

25-Year Service Awards

  • James Adair, professor of materials science and engineering; and biomedical engineering and pharmacology
  • Lorraine Dowler, professor of geography; women’s, gender and sexuality studies, and international affairs
  • William Easterling, professor of geography and former dean of the college
  • Laura Liermann, assistant research professor in the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute
  • Victoria Sanchez, associate dean for educational equity

George H. K. Schenck Teaching Assistant Award

This award was created to honor and recognize an exemplary graduate student teaching assistant in the college. Recipient is:

  • Nicholas Barron, graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards were created to honor undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, and faculty who have demonstrated exemplary leadership that manifests the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion into practical action. Recipients are:

  • Catherine Lyons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Undergraduate Student Award: Athbi Alfarhan, undergraduate student in petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Catherine Lyons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Graduate Student Award: Jasmine Walker, graduate student in geosciences
  • Charles Hosler Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Post Doc Award: Prakash Purswani, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
  • Charles Hosler Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Faculty Award: Enrique Gomez, professor of materials science and engineering and professor of chemical engineering

Jay M. and Katherine DeFinis Award for Outstanding Student Leadership

Established in 2005 to honor outstanding student leadership abilities within the student organizations of the college. Recipients are:

  • Luke LeBel, graduate student in meteorology and atmospheric science
  • Luke Winand, undergraduate student in meteorology and atmospheric science
  • Sarah Wugofski, graduate student in meteorology and atmospheric science

Ellen Steidle Achievement Award

Established in 1953 by Dean Edward Steidle to honor the memory of his wife, this award recognizes junior and senior EMS students for their service to the college. Recipients are:

  • Senior Award: Hannah Chop, undergraduate student in environmental systems engineering
  • Junior Award: Emily Shiels, undergraduate student in geography and global and international studies

Dean Edward Steidle Memorial Scholar Award

Established in 1981 to honor Edward Steidle, dean of the college from 1929 to 1953, this award is given to a graduating senior who is a truly outstanding scholar in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who plans to go to graduate school. Recipient is:

  • Martha Christino, undergraduate student double majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science and civil engineering, with a minor in military studies

GEMS Diamond Award

Established in 2006, the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) Diamond Award grants a lifetime membership in the Penn State Alumni Association to a graduating student who is found to have the most well-rounded involvement and achievement in both the University and community environment during their student experience while in the college. Recipient is:

  • Athbi Alfarhan, undergraduate student in petroleum and natural gas engineering

College Marshal

The college marshal designation is given to the most accomplished graduate overall. College marshal is:

  • Martha Christino, undergraduate student double majoring in meteorology and atmospheric science and civil engineering, with a minor in military studies

Engineering Honor Marshal

The award is for the top-ranking graduate in an engineering discipline. The engineering honor marshal is:

  • Bevan Harbinson, undergraduate student in materials science and engineering

Earth and Mineral Sciences Academy for Global Experience 

Established in 2009, the Earth and Mineral Sciences Academy for Global Experience (EMSAGE) program helps students develop as communicators and collaborators and prepares them to be effective leaders in their disciplines and responsible global citizens. Students may aspire to EMSAGE Laureate status by achieving notable success in scholarship, service, global literacy and experiential learning.

Fall 2022 EMSAGE Laureates

  • Michael Ammendola, materials science and engineering
  • Delián Colón Burgos, meteorology and atmospheric science
  • Lucas Erich, materials science and engineering
  • Gabriel Hiestand, environmental systems engineering
  • Aarushi Jadhav, materials science and engineering
  • Isabelle Jernigan, meteorology and atmospheric science
  • Alison Johnston, geography
  • Conner Patton, energy engineering
  • Camila Pena, geography
  • Meredith Pepka, environmental systems engineering
  • Katherine Rasmussen, environmental systems engineering
  • Meddelin Setiawan, materials science and engineering
  • Sunday Siomades, geosciences
  • Jordan Thibodeaux, petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Zhihan Wang, energy business and finance
  • Jun Weng Yeo, materials science and engineering

Spring 2023 EMSAGE Laureates

  • Ali Al Hassan, petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Mohammed Alarfaj, petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Athbi Alfarhan, petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Mohammad Badghaish, petroleum and natural gas engineering
  • Hannah Chop, environmental systems engineering
  • Isabella Ferreira, earth science and policy
  • Mufaddal Gheewala, energy engineering
  • Allison Holland, geography
  • David Marcial, meteorology and atmospheric science
  • Jaeden Mayzel, environmental systems engineering
  • Akhdan Mir, energy engineering
  • Hunter Reeves, geosciences
  • Angelina Santamaria, earth science and policy and geography
  • Justin Warner, materials science and engineering
  • Luke Winand, meteorology and atmospheric science
Last Updated April 26, 2023

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