Awards and Honors

  • 2021 John D. Haun Landmark Publication Award/Rocky Mountain Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists: “In recognition of his work as co-author of Ancient Landscapes of Western North America with its beautiful paleogeographic maps has been a significant contribution to geoscientists and educators”
  • 2021 The University of Iowa Earth and Environmental Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award
  • 2018 University of Wisconsin Dept of Geoscience Distinguished Alumni Award “for incisive research, including the paleomaps that are a useful teaching tool in some of our courses” — Chuck De Mets, Chair
  • 2016 John W. Shelton Search and Discovery Award for article Paleogeography and Paleotectonics of the Western Interior Seaway: Jurassic-Cretaceous of North America from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

    “Belated congratulations for being recognized for having the most outstanding article posted on Search and Discovery for the 2014 calendar year! Your spectacular work would also receive an award for the most cited in/on Search and Discovery. I am in a very large company of amazed geoscientists who marvel at the scope, quality, and volume of your research.”
    Best wishes,
    John Shelton
    May 10, 2016

  • 2013 Arizona Library Award for Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau (Blakey/Ranney)
  • 2011 Geosciences in the Media Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists
  • 2013-2014 AAPG Distinguished Lecturer – presentations given on “Paleogeography and Geologic History of Western North America” to Universities and Geological Societies across the country
  • 2011 AAPG “Geoscience in the Media Award” (AAPG Annual Convention, Houston)
  • 2011 Short Course Presentation to Southwest Section, AAPG Abilene and Fort Worth “Using Paleogeographic Maps”
  • 2010 Short Course Presentation Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Denver “Using Paleogeographic Maps”