Staff Awards Event Recognizes Individual Achievements

Key factors in making the Bureau of Economic Geology such an exceptional organization are the incomparable abilities of its people—its researchers, support staff, and leadership. Once a year, the Bureau community pauses to reflect on the staff’s most notable individual achievements of the past 12 months, and this year’s Staff Service Awards event was recently held.

Hosted by Director Scott Tinker, the event began by his recognizing each researcher and staff member who had been promoted in the past year. Dr. Tinker then listed the many individual awards won by Bureau staff. These included winners of the Jackson School’s Walker Awards, the Bureau’s Rainmaker and Publication awards, and awards and honors bestowed by other organizations for outstanding research and papers, and for organizational service. Tinker then thanked several Bureau researchers for their vital service on internal committees.

A new endowment, the Fisher Research Excellence Prize, was then announced. Named in honor of former Bureau director Bill Fisher, and funded by a generous contribution from Robert and Gwen Morton, the endowment will reward outstanding research done by a Bureau researcher. It was also announced that Dr. Morton was being recognized as this year’s Bureau Alumnus of the Year.

Staff length of service awards bestowed by The University of Texas at Austin were then presented to a number of staff members. Among them were certificates recognizing 30 years of service by Jana Robinson and 35 years of service by Bridget Scanlon.

The final individual honor announced by Dr. Tinker was the Bureau of Economic Geology’s 2023 Staff Excellence Award presented this year to Senior Financial Analyst Gale Ashley.

Please join all of us at the Bureau in congratulating these remarkable individuals for their outstanding achievements!