by Philip Ringrose
Chair Awards Committee
The EAGE has a long record of honouring outstanding members for their significant contributions to geoscience and engineering as well as for contributions to our association. In recent years we have had some amazing nominations, supported by many peers and colleagues, showing strong and broad support for a worthy candidate. So, please think of your own mentors and inspirational colleagues – should they be on the list? Nominations for the 2027 EAGE achievement awards are now open and the EAGE Awards committee is looking forward to seeing our members providing support for outstanding candidates.
The EAGE has a total a six achievement awards that together serve several key purposes:
- Recognition: Acknowledging the hard work and dedication of individuals who have made significant strides in their respective fields.
- Encouragement: By highlighting exemplary work, these awards encourage others to strive for excellence and innovation.
- Visibility: Award recipients gain increased visibility within the professional community, which can foster further collaboration and advancements.
- Inspiration: Young professionals and students are inspired by the achievements of award winners, motivating them to pursue careers in geosciences and engineering.
Overall, the EAGE achievement awards play a crucial role in advancing the fields of geosciences and engineering by celebrating outstanding achievements and fostering a culture of collaboration and togetherness.
A key element of the EAGE achievement awards is recognition by peers. Therefore, prospective candidates are nominated by our members. As a recipient of one of EAGE's awards, I know the value and pleasure of realising how your peers support your efforts. These awards really boost the professional community by recognising long track records of achievement. Both I and the other members of the EAGE Awards committee are now looking forward to receiving nominations for deserving candidates for each of the EAGE achievement awards.
The Desiderius Erasmus Award is presented to individuals for their Lifetime Contribution in the field of resource exploration and development. It is EAGE’s most prestigious award and is our only award open to non-member candidates. The Conrad Schlumberger Award honours individuals who have demonstrated innovative work in the field of geophysics. It is one of the most esteemed awards in geophysical research and technology. The Alfred Wegener Award is given to individuals who have made Outstanding Contribution to the scientific and technical advancement of EAGE’s disciplines, particularly petroleum geoscience and engineering.
The EAGE also recognizes Young Professionals with the Arie van Weelden Award which is our award for highly significant contributions to one or more of the disciplines in our Association. Candidates for this award must be EAGE members under 35 years of age at the time of the nomination. The relatively new Marie Tharp Sustainable Energy YP Award recognizes promising and creative talents among the next generation of energy transition leaders. This award is EAGE’s only self-nominating award and candidates for this award must be MSc or PhD students at the time of the application.
Finally, EAGE’s Honorary Membership Award is open for individuals who have made highly significant and distinguished contributions to the geoscience community at large or to the Association in particular.
Nomination by peers is a key ingredient for the EAGE achievement awards. Members are encouraged to get together and collate letters of support for their candidate where the best candidates have a broad support from different members and interest groups. We do encourage personalized letters of support.
Each year there are more nominations than winners and the committee encourages resubmission of past nominations, possibly with an improved package. Rules and requirements for the nomination package for each of the achievement awards are available on our website. Please read and follow these instructions carefully, as occasionally a nomination package is received that does not meet the requirements and has to be rejected. We encourage nominations from all EAGE’s technical disciplines, geographies and backgrounds.
