THE JOHN CASTAÑO HONORARY MEMBERSHIP AWARD

Call for Nominations for 2024

Submission deadline: May 31, 2024


TSOP members are invited to nominate the scientist of your choice for the 2022 John Castaño Honorary Membership Award, The Society for Organic Petrology's highest honor. The award acknowledges distinction in a scientific discipline of significance to the Society, in recognition of contributions in research, service to TSOP, or education. The John Castaño Honorary Membership Award conveys life membership in the Society. It is named in honor of John Castaño, one of our most active Houston-based founding members. John served as inaugural Vice-President, and later, as President of TSOP. He was an organizer of three TSOP meetings in the Houston area, and was made an Honorary Member in 1995. John served TSOP in many capacities until his death in 1997; a memorial article was published in the June 1997 issue of the TSOP Newsletter.

If you would like to nominate a candidate for the 2024 Castaño Honorary Membership Award, please submit a letter of recommendation and a brief vita of the nominee to Magdalena Misz-Kennan, Chair of the Committee by May 31, 2024. It is strongly suggested that supporting letters of recommendation from colleagues and other scientists accompany the nomination package. Emphasis should be placed on the significance of the nominee's research and contributions.

Nominations will be reviewed by the Castaño Award Committee and results will be announced at the Annual Meeting in September 2024. The selection process is confidential and nominees do not have to be former or current TSOP members.

The committee evaluates research, service and educational impact based on the following criteria:
1.



Research contributions include work that demonstrates a high degree of originality and serves to advance the science of organic petrology or related disciplines. Nominees must possess a sustained international record of professional publication and achievement.
2.



Nominees recommended for service must demonstrate significance contributions to TSOP (the Society) in a leadership role. Their service must have enabled the Society to stimulate interest and promote innovative research in coal geology. Contributions include educational activities, administrative duties, or the development of the Society.
3.

Nominees recommended for education must demonstrate a high degree of dedication and significant impact as a teacher of organic petrology or related disciplines.



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