Monday, December 15, 2008

Scripps Scientists Honored at 2008 AGU Fall Meeting

Miriam Kastner and Robert Parker awarded medals for outstanding contributions to the geosciences

Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego

American Geophysical Union, Fall 2008

Distinguished researchers Miriam Kastner and Robert Parker of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will receive awards for their outstanding contributions to geosciences during a ceremony at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall meeting. The awards' ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at the San Francisco Marriott.

Kastner, Scripps distinguished professor of geochemistry in the Geosciences Research Division, will receive the Maurice Ewing Medal for her "major contributions to understanding marine sedimentation and ocean chemistry, and for her leadership and service to the marine geoscience community, and selfless promotion of students." Kastner has been a faculty member at Scripps since 1972, focusing research on the geochemistry of marine sediments and their significance for chemical paleoceanography, as well as the processes responsible for the formation of deep-sea hydrothermal deposits, the role of fluids in subduction zones and the origin and distribution of marine methane hydrates and their potential impact on slope stability and global climate change.

Parker, Scripps distinguished professor emeritus of geophysics in the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Physics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), will receive the John Adam Fleming Medal for his longstanding work in theoretical processes relating to the earth's magnetism. Parker's research interests include geophysical inverse theory and modeling of the earth's geomagnetic field.

The Ewing Medal is named for Maurice Ewing, who made significant contributions to deep-sea exploration, and recognizes researchers who do the same. Established in 1974 and jointly sponsored with the U.S. Navy, the medal is presented to geoscientists who make significant original contributions to the understanding of physical, geophysical and geological processes in the ocean; to those who advance oceanographic engineering, technology and instrumentation; and to those who perform outstanding service to the marine sciences. Walter Munk, professor emeritus at Scripps Oceanography, was its first recipient.

The Fleming Medal was established in 1960 in honor of John Adam Fleming and his important contributions to the establishment of magnetic standards and measurements. This annual medal recognizes original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, space physics and related sciences. Scripps faculty members Vic Vacquier and George Backus have previously received this honor.

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration.

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