Awards & Appointments

2017 – A year of change

2017 is an important year for Earth Science Matters Foundation. First, we welcome a new Board Member, Dr. Gbenga Okunlola who is the new President of the Geological Society of Africa and the successor of Dr. Aberra Mogessie, our highly appreciated ESM Board Member, who has decided to retire from the Foundation.

Sospeter Muhongo appointed Patron of the Earth Science Matters Foundation

n February 2014 the ESM Board decided to appoint Sospeter Muhongo, currently Minister of Energy and Resources in the United Republic of Tanzania, Patron of the ESM Foundation. Patron is the highest category of recognition given to individuals in the ESM system. A plaque was presented to Sospeter Muhongo during the Opening Ceremony of the CAG25 Conference in Dar es Salaam, on 14 August.

Sierd Cloetingh bestowed with Arthur Holmes Medal

At the European Geoscience Union’s General Assembly in April 2013 in Vienna, Austria, Earth Science Matters Board member Sierd Cloetingh received EGU’s most prestigious Arthur Holmes Medal for his exceptional contributions to solid Earth dynamics and in particular for his pioneer research in lithosphere evolution. Major international research programmes, as TOPO-Europe, are initiated and coordinated through his research group currently based in Utrecht University (the Netherlands) which attracted 60 PhD students from 20 nations to complete their thesis under his supervision.

Commemoration ceremony Dr Wissam Al-Hashimi

On 12 February 2013 a ceremony was held in the Burlington House, home of the Geological Society in London, to commemorate Dr Wissam Al-Hashimi. Dr Wissam Al-Hashimi was Vice-President of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) from 1996-2002. In addition, he was the President of the Geological Society of Iraq and the Secretary-General of the Arab Geological Association (AGA) since 1993.