Geoscientist Named UA Burnum Winner

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A University of Alabama geoscientist, whose research focuses on developing and sharing environmentally feasible ways of increasing oil and natural gas supplies, is this year’s winner of the Burnum Distinguished Faculty Award.

The University will present Dr. Ernest Mancini, distinguished research professor of petroleum geology and stratigraphy, with the Burnum award Tuesday, March 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the student activity room of the UA recreation center. He will deliver a lecture titled, “Impact of the Discovery of Ancient Alabama Microbes on the Global Energy Scenario.”  A reception follows at 5:30 p.m., and the public is welcome. 

“Dr. Mancini has distinguished himself as an outstanding researcher and independent thinker whose innovative and novel ideas have helped facilitate our understanding of the complex stratigraphy and geologic history of many oil and gas producing sedimentary basins …” wrote Dr. Ibrahim Çemen, chair and professor of UA’s geological sciences department, in a nomination letter.

The Burnum Award is one of the highest honors the University bestows on its faculty. Established by Mrs. Celeste Burnum and the late Dr. John F. Burnum of Tuscaloosa, it is presented annually to a professor who is judged by a faculty selection committee to have demonstrated superior scholarly or artistic achievements and profound dedication to the art of teaching.

Mancini is recognized nationally and internationally for his research of the Gulf of Mexico, one of the most prolific oil and gas producing sedimentary basins in North America. He has published 142 journal articles, book chapters, and proceedings volume papers, 12 field trip guidebooks, 22 technology and workshop and short-course books and 243 refereed abstracts during his 38-year career, 33 of which have been at UA.

He has also supervised 21 Master of Science and eight doctoral students, and he has had 38 research proposals funded, totaling more than $10 million dollars.

Throughout his career, Mancini has won numerous awards for his teaching and research and served in many leadership positions among the various professional organizations to which he belongs. As examples, he won the American Geological Institute’s Ian Campbell Award in 2004 for his research and teaching accomplishments and commitment to public service, and he was elected president of both this group and the Association of American State Geologists.

He’s a past recipient of both the Outstanding Educator Award from the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Sciences and the Distinguished Educator Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.   

Mancini, who earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Albright College, his master’s degree in zoology from Southern Illinois University, and his doctorate in geology from Texas A&M University, was the state geologist and oil and gas supervisor for the state of Alabama from 1982-1996. While Mancini was in that post, the Geological Survey of Alabama prepared and published a new geologic map for the state. The map is used both by researchers to further the scientific understanding of the state and by industry for potential resource identification. Alabama became a major producer of natural gas during his tenure as oil and gas supervisor.

Additionally, Mancini directed UA’s Center for Sedimentary Basin Studies from 1998 to 2009. This Center integrates the work of geologists, geophysicists, petroleum engineers, paleobiologists and computer scientists — all of whom work together to find environmentally feasible ways of increasing oil supplies.

The department of geological sciences is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.