UA Professor Emeritus Receives Legendary Geoscientist Medal

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Ernest A. Mancini, professor emeritus in geological sciences at The University of Alabama, has received the 2016 Marcus Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal from the American Geosciences Institute.

Dr. Ernest A. Mancini
Dr. Ernest A. Mancini

The medal recognizes a senior scientist who has a record of achievements and service in Earth sciences and who has been acknowledged for accomplishments in fields of expertise by professional societies, universities or other organizations.

Mancini’s career in the geosciences includes having served as a distinguished research professor at UA as well as state geologist of Alabama, director of the Geological Survey of Alabama, oil and gas supervisor for Alabama and director and founder of the Center for Sedimentary Basin Studies at UA.

He also has served as president at multiple geoscience organizations, regional director for the Eastern Gulf Region of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council and as a science and natural resources adviser to several Alabama governors and the state Legislature.

Mancini’s body of work has led to advancements in the understanding of the stratigraphy and petroleum systems of Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata of the Gulf of Mexico basin. The advances made in this region have shaped geoscientists’ understanding of similar depositional and petroleum systems worldwide.

In addition to more than 400 publications and technical reports, he produced and published the first statewide geologic maps of Alabama since 1926, including the first map at the 1:250,000 scale. He is recognized for his innovative teaching methods and his use of an integrative and interdisciplinary research approach to solve complex problems.

Alongside shaping the understanding of the Gulf of Mexico Basin, he has played an active role in training students, including those directly under his tutelage as graduate master and doctoral candidates, and experienced geoscientists through short courses, seminars and technology workshops sponsored by geoscience organizations, universities, government agencies and industry.

These individuals can now be found in high-ranking positions in academia, industry and government. He is credited with setting a standard of excellence for those around him.

The American Geosciences Institute recognized Mancini at the 2016 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition in Calgary, Alberta. He will accept this award formally during the AGI Past President’s dinner at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in September.

UA’s department of geological sciences is part of the 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 and Goldwater scholarships.

The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society’s use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

Contact

Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782

Source

Dr. Ernest Mancini, emancini@as.ua.edu