RAPID
CITY, S.D. (Sept. 9, 2016) – South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
geologist Foster Sawyer will be honored with a national award for his
leadership and contributions to the American Institute of Professional
Geologists.
Sawyer,
Ph.D., will be honored with the 2016 AIPG Martin Van Couvering Memorial Award at
the organization’s national conference in Santa Fe, N.M., on Monday.
Last
year, Sawyer served as national president of the AIPG, which has more than 7,000
members. From 2009-2016 he was a member of the organization’s National Executive
Committee and has also served in other capacities at the national level. In
2012, Sawyer chaired the AIPG National Annual Conference held in Rapid City and
has also served as president of the AIPG South Dakota section.
Since
joining the South Dakota Mines faculty in 2008, Sawyer has strengthened the university’s
petroleum-related curricula, recently adding a new petroleum field camp and
securing major donations of petroleum industry software and digital datasets
for research and teaching. Another of his significant accomplishments at Mines
has been the development and supervision of two STEM (science, technology,
engineering and math) education programs for Native American students in
collaboration with tribal colleges in western South Dakota.
Additionally,
Sawyer has traveled and worked frequently in Mongolia and participated in two
paleontological expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula.
The
early years of his career were devoted to geological and hydrological projects
as a geologist and hydrologist with the South Dakota Geological Survey in the
Black Hills region. Notable projects on which he worked included serving as
co-author for the Geologic Map of South Dakota, performing source water
assessments and vulnerability mapping for over 500 public water supply systems
in the Black Hills area, and supervising and participating in numerous
hydrologic and geologic investigations in western South Dakota.
During
his time at SD Mines and the South Dakota Geological Survey he has authored and
co-authored more than 50 articles, maps and abstracts on a variety of geologic
and hydrologic topics. He has also served on the board of directors of the West
Dakota Water Development District for 12 years.
“It
is a tremendous honor to receive this award. Mr. Van Couvering was renowned for
his personal and professional integrity and his high standards of professional
competence,” Sawyer said. “The AIPG has provided me with opportunities to
represent American geoscientists on an international stage, as well as opportunities
to give something back and to make a difference for future generations of
geoscientists.”
Other
awards Sawyer has received during his career include the 2016 Virginia Simpson
Award for community service from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology,
2016 Honorary Awardee from the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical and
Lapidary Societies, 2005 Antarctic Service Medal from the United States of
America and the 2004 Geologist of the Year Award from the AIPG South Dakota section.
“Dr. Foster is an exceptional faculty member and has
been a leader in his profession. It’s a pleasure to see him recognized in this
way,” said SD Mines President Heather Wilson.